Youth charged after bus hijack

Press, 23 July 1987, Page 1

Youth charged after bus hijack

By

GLENIS CARROLL

A youth, aged 17, will appear in the District Court today charged with kidnapping, after a two-hour hijacking of a Christchurch Transport Board bus yesterday morning.

The youth, who according to the police was disgruntled over a job application to the Transport Board, held a 30cm knife to the bus-driver, Mr Dennis Coppen, forcing him to leave the Hornby bus route and drive north. The hijacking ended near Darfleld, after the youth released Mr Coppen and police were able to board the bus. The incident began at 8.25 a.m. after bus 507 left the Queenspark Drive terminus in Parklands en route to Hornby via Cathedral Square. The bus was waved down by the youth who, after boarding it, pulled out a knife and ordered the bus-driver to “drive.” After 800 metres he ordered the driver to stop the bus and let off the only two passengers, a woman, and a girl aged 11. The woman alerted the police. Inspector John Reilly said the police had a sighting of the bus at the corner of Wainoni Road and Breezes Road but after that it was not seen until a caller identified it travelling through Rangiora at 9 a.m. A helicopter was called in to locate the bus but at the same time a Darfield constable, who was off duty, spotted the bus on the road between Cust and Oxford and followed it. The bus crossed the Waimakariri Gorge bridge and passed through Waddington. It stopped near a plantation on State highway 73 just past Homebush Road. The Christchurch Transport Board had been in touch with the driver through the radio-tele-phone on the bus. He had related

the youth’s only demand — that the police “back off.” Inspector Reilly said the police “eased back” and the bus moved off, continuing towards Darfield. It headed through the town, turning west into McLaughlins Road, where it stopped between Clintons Road and Darfield. The six police patrol cars called to the area quickly created two road blocks, about 300 m from the bus. A police negotiator spoke to the youth over the radio to persuade him to release the driver. Inspector Reilly said the youth asked the police to clear a path and he would take the bus back into town. There were fears the youth would try to run the road blocks. After almost half an hour of negotiation the bus-driver was released and while the youth continued to talk to the police on the radio two policemen pushed open the doors and arrested him. The youth was taken to the Hornby police station. Mr Coppen drove his bus back to Christchurch. Inspector Reilly commended the way Mr Coppen handled the situation. “Mr Coppen kept a cool head and did all the right things. He said he did not feel under immediate threat and was not worried he would be injured," Inspector Reilly said. The prime police aim throughout the incident had been to ensure the safety of Mr Coppen. The police said last evening that the youth would be unlikely to face any further charges.