Traffic officer fined $300

Press, 28 March 1981, Page 26

Traffic officer fined $300

PA Auckland A Mount Albert traffic officer pleaded guilty in the District Court at Auckland to a careless driving charge resulting from a crash during a car chase in January. The officer, Douglas John Henry, aged .35. was convicted and fined $3OO by Judge Mason. The offence occurred on January 10 at the intersection of NewNorth Road and Mount Albert Road. Henry had been in an unmarked patrol car chasing another vehicle when he was in collision with a car coming across the intersection on i a green, light. : Both cars were extensively j damaged. ' i Counsel. Mr Michael ! Harte, said Henry believed the traffic light facing him was green. However, the person opposite him at the lights was apparently wailing at a red light. Henry therefore assumed there must have been no light facing him at all. Mr Harte said Henry had thought the light was green when he was about 50 metres from the intersection, but it might have been the sun touching the green phase. , Henry had earlier pleaded • not guilty to the charge, but , later changed his plea.