NSW Police are yet to determine the fate of an Armidale police officer who was behind the wheel in a crash which killed a Guyra woman in February last year.
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The findings into the death of 48-year-old Centrelink employee Gillian Harman were handed down in Glebe Coroner’s Court today.
The findings were delivered almost two years after her death on the evening of February 9, 2011, when a marked police car collided with her vehicle at the intersection of Newton and Faulkner streets in Armidale.
Constable Craig Simpson was the driver of the police car which was on its way to a violent domestic dispute allegedly involving a teenager armed with an axe when the collision occurred.
Both cars rolled and Ms Harman died at the scene despite the efforts of the two officers in the car to revive her.
Other media outlets reported one month before the accident, Constable Simpson was found unsuitable to progress to the next level of police driving, which involves driving over the speed limit with lights and sirens.
The Coroners’ Court was told Constable Simpson, aged 22, was driving at 84km/h in a 50km/h zone through the intersection when the collision occurred.
After pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death, he was given a 22-month suspended jail term at Inverell Court last year.
In a statement to Fairfax this afternoon, a NSW Police Force spokesman said the coronial findings were being reviewed.
“A decision regarding the officer is yet to be finalised,” the statement said.
Media outlets reported today that State Coroner, Mary Jerram recommended the NSW Transport Minister order NSW Roads and Maritime services to implement recommendations to install stop signs at the intersection to replace give-way signs.
