Policeman in court charged with careless driving

KEY POINTS:

    An Auckland policeman has been remanded on bail after appearing in court to face charges following an incident in which his unmarked police car crashed into a lamp post which fell and badly injured a 13-year-old boy.

    Aaron James Holmes, 29, was in Auckland District Court today, charged
    with careless driving causing injury.

    Farhat Buksh, 13, suffered head injuries and a fractured neck when he was hit by the falling lamp post while walking across a pedestrian crossing outside an Auckland primary school in August.

    Farhat is back at Mt Roskill Grammar School but only for a few hours a day.

    Surgeons have given him the all-clear on his fractured neck and his memory is beginning to return.

    The police car was chasing a vehicle which had avoided a nearby alcohol checkpoint, but the driver was never caught.

    The Police Complaints Authority is investigating the accident.

    Holmes was remanded on bail and will reappear in court on December 13.

    - NZPA