Reality TV Star Accused of Hit-and-Run Involving Police Car

Reality TV Star Accused of Hit-and-Run Involving Police Car,A reality TV star is facing some legal trouble after they were allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident that left a police officer hospitalized. The suspect was taken into police custody in New Zealand earlier in November and is now facing several charges, including wounding with intent to [...]

Reality TV Star Accused of Hit-and-Run Involving Police Car

A reality TV star is facing some legal trouble after they were allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident that left a police officer hospitalized. The suspect was taken into police custody in New Zealand earlier in November and is now facing several charges, including wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, failing to stop a motor vehicle, and taking a vehicle unlawfully. The suspect’s name was not released due to New Zealand’s strict name suppression laws.

A court may decide to prohibit a person’s name and other identifying details from being published due to a number of reasons, including to protect the victim or for children under 17 who are complainants or witnesses. Per Community Law, a court may also choose to grant name suppression to those charged in the criminal courts if the publishing of the person’s name could cause “extreme hardship,” cause undue hardship to a victim, create risk of an unfair trial, interfere with the operation of the law, or lead to someone else who has name suppression being identified, among other instances. In the case of the criminal case surrounding the unnamed reality TV star, Judge Jane Forrester granted the protection of his identity in order to allow him to inform his whānau, Māori for extended family, and children. The name suppression has been granted until the next court appearance in three weeks.

Forrester made the ruling during the suspect’s first hearing, which he did not attend as he was still in the hospital. The hearing came just hours after the suspect, only identified as a 37-year-old male reality TV star, was taken into police custody following a major police chase in Auckland on the night of Nov. 8. The New Zealand Herald reported that the suspect was taken into police custody at around 9 p.m. after leading police through a sweeping chase that brought traffic to a standstill. A police officer was hit by the suspect while laying road spikes in Manukau.

“Our thoughts are with the officer and their family. Ensuring they are supported is our priority,” Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Jill Rogers, who said the officer was in the hospital with serious injuries, said. “This was a traumatic incident for those involved and I want to acknowledge the support offered by the officer’s colleagues and members of the public.”

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The suspect was hospitalized following the incident and charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, failing to stop a motor vehicle, and taking a vehicle unlawfully. He sought name suppression through his lawyer. During the initial hearing, the court heard he was suffering from severe drug and alcohol addiction issues.