Sydney Family Calls For Justice After Teen Dies From His Bike Colliding With An Unmarked Police Car
A teenager has died after the bike he was riding collided with an unmarked police vehicle.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name and image of a person who has died
Police say Jai Wright was allegedly spotted riding a suspected stolen blue 2019 Sherco trail bike in Newtown at 7am on Saturday (February 19).
Officers from Inner West Police Area Command chased after the 16-year-old and he was last seen turning right into Sydney Park Road, Alexandria.
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Thirty-five minutes after the bike was first spotted on the road, it hit the unmarked cop car at the intersection of Henderson and Mitchell Roads, Alexandria.
A statement from NSW Police said: "The rider, a 16-year-old boy, was ejected from the bike and suffered serious injuries.
'He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital."
Jai was in a critical condition at hospital and was later declared dead on Sunday.
A crime scene was established in Alexandria and a critical incident team from has now started an investigation into the crash.
NSW Police have confirmed the 'investigation will be subject to an independent review'.
Jai's aunt Celeste wrote on Facebook about how the teen's death has devastated the family.
“My heart has shattered into a billion pieces and I can’t seem to get my head around this my boy I keep telling myself to wake up from this horrible dream it can’t be real,” she posted, according to News Corp.
“It wasn’t suppose to go like this Jai u were taken TOO SOON WAY BEFORE UR TIME I PROMISE WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE GET U JUSTICE MY BOY.”
Jai's father, Lachlan Wright told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Everyone wanted to be around him. He was funny and quirky.”
He revealed the teen had just finished year 10 at school and had started an electrician apprenticeship.
“He got the job on a Thursday and started on Monday. He could have had time off, but he was really excited,” Lachlan said.
Mr Wright claims he has been given two different stories from NSW Police about what exactly happened to his son.
A senior police officer allegedly told him that the unmarked police car turned in front of Jai, which caused him to fall off the motorbike.
Lachlan then revealed a police investigator later told him there hadn't been a police pursuit of him and that the 16-year-old lost control of the motorbike and crashed into the unmarked police car.
"We have been given inconsistent information by police as to what caused Jai's death," Mr Wright said.
"Who do we believe now? What is the truth? We want to know the truth."
Stewart Perrie