Police car hits 14-year-old e-bike rider in Geelong car park
A police car has collided with a 14-year-old riding an e-bike in a kindergarten car park in Lara, Geelong, sending him tumbling across the ground with minor injuries. The incident, captured on video, has sparked divided public reactions, with some supporting the police action whilst others, including family members, have questioned whether the collision was a proportionate response.
Victoria Police said officers observed three youths riding e-bikes erratically and endangering the public, and when they failed to stop, they rode into a nearby kindergarten car park where a marked police vehicle collided with one of the riders. The teenager was taken to hospital with minor injuries, and witnesses reported that officers had previously given the group a thumbs up when they waved at them. Victoria Police's Professional Standards Command has launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred at approximately 5:15pm on Wednesday 5 October near Waverley Road in Lara.
- Police car hit teen e-bike rider in Geelong car park with minor injuries
- Officers observed erratic riding endangering public before the collision occurred
- Incident sparks divided reactions, Professional Standards Command investigating the matter
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A teenager on an e-bike has been hit by a police car at a kindergarten car park in Lara, Geelong, sustaining minor injuries. The incident on Wednesday evening was captured on video and has prompted public debate about whether the police action was appropriate.
Victoria Police said officers had observed three young people on e-bikes riding dangerously and endangering the public. When the group did not stop after being signalled to do so by police, they rode into a nearby car park where a marked police car collided with one of the riders. Accounts differ about what led to the collision, including a report that officers had exchanged friendly gestures with the group shortly beforehand.
The incident has raised questions about police tactics when addressing disruptive behaviour by young people. Some have supported the police action as necessary for public safety, while others, including family members, have questioned whether deliberately hitting a teenager was justified or proportionate.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Police observed three youths riding e-bikes erratically in a manner they judged to endanger the public, and when the riders failed to respond to police attempts to stop them, they continued into a kindergarten car park where children gather. Officers faced a genuine choice between permitting the dangerous behaviour to continue in a sensitive location or taking action to prevent potential harm to others. The vehicle contact was a controlled intervention in a car park setting, and whilst the teenager sustained minor injuries, this represented a proportionate measure to prevent ongoing public endangerment.
The case against
Proportionality in police response is essential, particularly when dealing with minors whose judgement remains developing. Three teenagers riding e-bikes, even erratically, do not constitute a threat warranting collision with a police vehicle, especially when reports suggest friendly interaction moments before the incident. Officers possess numerous alternatives—pedestrian intervention, radio backup, or simply allowing the youths to proceed through the car park—and striking a child with a vehicle should be reserved only for the most extreme circumstances. The vulnerability and age of the young person must be the primary consideration in assessing whether such force was justified.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Shocking moment police car collides with teenage e-bike rider, sending him tumbling across bitumen”.