NSW Police have confirmed that CCTV footage of a speeding police car through Cronulla was not the vehicle responsible for smashing into Gai Vieira’s Mercedes, leaving her fighting for life.
On Wednesday, footage was aired on several television networks showing a police car travelling up the Kingsway in the moments before Mrs Vieira’s car was struck on September 5.
The moment of impact was not released, but it did show a police vehicle crossing to the opposite side of the road, without its lights on.
But it was another police car responding to the accident. That car did have its sirens on.
The video, shown by TV networks 7 and 9, showed a police car travelling on the northern side of Croydon Street towards the Kingsway, opposite the police station.
As the police car approached the intersection, it appeared to cross to the right of the traffic island before turning. Right turns from Croydon Street are not permitted. No vehicles were turning left from the Kingsway into Croydon Street at the time.
The accident involving Mrs Vieira’s Mercedes occurred about 600 metres from where the turn was made.
Minutes earlier, another officer had been pursuing someone on their mobile phone at 124 km/hr, colliding with Mrs Vieira’s car at the intersection of The Kingsway and Connels Road.
A 40-year-old senior constable will face court on November 12 after he was charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Gai’s husband Bert said he was still shocked by the footage, even though it was not the actual driver responsible for seriously injuring his wife. Their grandson Tyler, 3, who was also in the car, was not injured.
“Witnesses had told us they had seen a different model to the one that was showed,” he said.
“But it’s irrelevant which car it was,” he said. “My stomach went into circles when I saw that footage because does this mean they were all speeding without lights?
“It makes it worse because it shows another car crossing to the wrong part of the road.
“Witnesses had also told us that when two police cars arrived at the crash, officers jumped out to go to the aid of the constable, and left my wife dying with the baby in the car.”
Mrs Vieira is out of intensive care and is breathing on her own but is still in a coma.
“We are still waiting for her to wake up,” Mr Vieira said.
“But she’s a little more responsive – sometimes she squeezes my hand. We are grabbing onto everything we can get, and continue to hope.”
The family is also considering holding a protest in an attempt to have police pursuits banned in NSW and traffic lights installed at the intersection of Woolooware Road and the Kingsway.
“My life is on hold and I’ve put my son in charge of my company until we get justice,” Mr Viera said.
“So we are doing whatever we can to have pursuits stopped and get my wife out of hospital.”
A spokesman for Roads and Maritime Services says it is actively investigating a proposal to upgrade the intersections of the Kingsway at Woolooware and Connels roads.
He says an analysis of new traffic, pedestrian and crash data is being carried out, which will be reviewed before any recommendations are made.
“Roads and Maritime has written to Sutherland Shire Council and will continue to work towards increasing safety for the local community and motorists,” he said.