Dreier, Logan
Deceased
Logan Dreier
Demographics
18y, male
Date of death
2019-08-09
Finding date
2021-10-14
Cause of death
Multiple injuries due to motor vehicle collision
AI-generated summary
Logan Dreier, 18, was killed after a police pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended in a rollover crash on Queen Street, Southport. The crash occurred during a high-speed pursuit of a Toyota utility vehicle stolen from Movie World. Forensic analysis showed Logan was ejected from the vehicle at approximately 93 km/hour while negotiating a right-hand bend. Critical failures were identified: Senior Sergeant Murphy (primary pursuit vehicle) failed to advise his position or provide crucial location/speed information; Sergeant Martin (pursuit controller) failed entirely to take control of the pursuit despite being the communications centre supervisor with authority to do so; and other senior officers lacked sufficient information to make informed risk-abandonment decisions. The coroner found the pursuit should have been abandoned when the vehicle first drove on the wrong side of the road, and definitely when it mounted a footpath. Policy compliance failures by two experienced senior officers and lack of command-and-control resulted in escalating danger. The death was preventable had police followed their own Safe Driving Policy and Pursuit Policy.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- Failure of primary pursuit vehicle officer to advise his position or provide location/speed information
- Total failure of pursuit controller to take command and control
- Lack of situational awareness among senior officers
- Excessive number of police vehicles involved without coordination
- Failure to abandon pursuit despite dangerous driving
- Policy non-compliance by senior experienced officers
- Insufficient command and control structure
- Lack of clear communication regarding pursuit status
- Cultural practice of circumventing pursuit policy
Coroner's recommendations
- QPS continue and expedite review of Safe Driving and Pursuit Policy, considering whether threshold for pursuable matters should be heightened from any indictable offence
- QPS introduce practical scenario-based pursuit refresher training for all officers at regular intervals, including risk assessment under stressful conditions and effective police communications
- QPS consider branding bonnets and roofs of police vehicles with call signs to assist identification by Polair personnel
Full text
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