A truck driver has been found at fault for running over and killing a top Wellington police officer.
Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald was biking home when he was hit and killed by a truck and trailer unit on the roundabout intersection of Hutt road and Petone Esplanade in June last year.
In his ruling, Judge Tom Broadmore says the primary and dominant error in the crash was truck driver Desmond Wilson's failure to see Fitzgerald cycling in front of him.
He says as a result, he overtook the cyclist in a way which left insufficient room, causing the trailer to hit him.
Wilson will appear for conviction and sentencing at a yet to be confirmed hearing.
Fitzgerald, 57, collided with the truck and trailer unit on the roundabout at the Hutt Road-Petone off-ramp in Wellington while cycling home at about 5.30pm. He was wearing a helmet, high-visibility jacket, high visibility belt and had flashing lights on the front and rear of his back.
At the time of his death, he was the national commander of the
Police Communications Centres. He had served in the police force
for 41 years and was the National Road Safety Manager for five
years.
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