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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/dec/06/indigenous-man-who-died-after-car-crash-investigated-as-death-in-custody
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| Indigenous man who died after car crash investigated as death in custody | Indigenous man who died after car crash investigated as death in custody |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| An Indigenous man who died while detained by police after a car crash in Kalgoorlie is the second person in the past month to die in police custody in Western Australia. | An Indigenous man who died while detained by police after a car crash in Kalgoorlie is the second person in the past month to die in police custody in Western Australia. |
| The 47-year-old from the remote community of Tjuntjuntjarra, about 700km east of Kalgoorlie and 1,200km east of Perth in the Great Victoria Desert, was a passenger in a car that has been spotted by a police patrol in Boulder, a suburb to the south of Kalgoorlie, because it did not have number plates. | The 47-year-old from the remote community of Tjuntjuntjarra, about 700km east of Kalgoorlie and 1,200km east of Perth in the Great Victoria Desert, was a passenger in a car that has been spotted by a police patrol in Boulder, a suburb to the south of Kalgoorlie, because it did not have number plates. |
| In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesman for WA police said the police patrol car turned to follow the car and came upon it crashed with a taxi at the intersection of Thomson and Burt streets. | In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesman for WA police said the police patrol car turned to follow the car and came upon it crashed with a taxi at the intersection of Thomson and Burt streets. |
| The spokesman said police “detained” three passengers from the car “to determine the identity of the driver.” Police alleged that the driver of the car and one passenger had already fled. | |
| “The condition of a 47-year-old male passenger deteriorated whilst in police custody at the scene, and he was assisted by St John Ambulance who attended the crash,” the spokesman said. “The man later died at Kalgoorlie hospital.” | “The condition of a 47-year-old male passenger deteriorated whilst in police custody at the scene, and he was assisted by St John Ambulance who attended the crash,” the spokesman said. “The man later died at Kalgoorlie hospital.” |
| The 30-year-old taxi driver was also injured and taken to hospital. | The 30-year-old taxi driver was also injured and taken to hospital. |
| A 27-year-old man alleged to have been driving the car was arrested on Tuesday and charged with dangerous driving causing death, failing to report an incident occasioning death or grievous bodily harm, driving an unlicensed, driving an unregistered vehicle, and failing to stop after an accident. | |
| He was scheduled to appear before Kalgoorlie magistrates court on Thursday. | |
| Commissioner Chris Dawson earlier told reporters that police were 300m behind the car when the crash occurred, but witnesses told the ABC they took three to five minutes to arrive. | Commissioner Chris Dawson earlier told reporters that police were 300m behind the car when the crash occurred, but witnesses told the ABC they took three to five minutes to arrive. |
| Dawson confirmed the man’s death was being treated as a death in custody, but it has not been labelled as such by police media statements. | Dawson confirmed the man’s death was being treated as a death in custody, but it has not been labelled as such by police media statements. |
| “All of these tragedies are dealt with through the coronial lens, so that state coroner has a responsibility there — we actually work to assist the coroner,” Dawson said. | “All of these tragedies are dealt with through the coronial lens, so that state coroner has a responsibility there — we actually work to assist the coroner,” Dawson said. |
| Officers from the internal affairs unit, which investigates deaths in custody and police misconduct, arrived in Kalgoorlie on Tuesday along with homicide squad and major crash detectives. | Officers from the internal affairs unit, which investigates deaths in custody and police misconduct, arrived in Kalgoorlie on Tuesday along with homicide squad and major crash detectives. |
| The police spokesman said the investigation was occuring “as per normal protocols”. | The police spokesman said the investigation was occuring “as per normal protocols”. |
| It’s been less than a month since a 27-year-old man died after being arrested by police at a house in the Perth suburb of Ascot during a series of high profile drug raids last month. A statement from police said his “health deteriorated” while the house was being searched. | It’s been less than a month since a 27-year-old man died after being arrested by police at a house in the Perth suburb of Ascot during a series of high profile drug raids last month. A statement from police said his “health deteriorated” while the house was being searched. |
| In May an Indigenous man in Perth died after being tasered by police near Officeworks in Perth. | In May an Indigenous man in Perth died after being tasered by police near Officeworks in Perth. |
| All three deaths are being investigated by the coroner. | All three deaths are being investigated by the coroner. |