Tributes to a man killed when his car hit a tree during a police pursuit on Saturday have described his death as “suicide by cop chasing your car”. Troy Peter MacKay, aged 22, died when the car he was driving smashed into a tree on Halswell Road. He was allegedly fleeing police at the time. A poem published in The Press’ death notices today described MacKay as a “man of your word” and referred to his death as “suicide by a cop chasing your car”. The poem reads:

From the elite of the street,
Some of Paparua’s gangstas,
Brothers in arms in bricks and bars,
Life and death in the fast lane,
We remember your name,
Never narked on no one,
True to the game.

You were a man of your word and very few are,
Suicide by cop chasing your car,
We reminisce about a youngsta,
Who aint no longer with us,
Dead but not gone,
Because through us he lives on,
Still smoking on, still smoking on.”

” Another notice said MacKay, aka “Fatboy”, was “a solid and loyal friend to the end”. A funeral service for MacKay would be held in Christchurch this afternoon. Christchurch South police area commander Inspector Malcolm Johnston said the chase started at 12.20am when police in a patrol car saw a car being driven in a dangerous manner along Blenheim Road in the city. They did a U-turn in an effort to stop the speeding vehicle. The vehicle turned onto Christchurch South Motorway, then into Halswell Road where the driver lost control, striking a tree. The pursuit lasted just over two minutes, Johnston said. The two female passengers in the vehicle suffered moderate injuries and are currently being treated at Christchurch Hospital. Johnston said police had no idea why the vehicle was driving so dangerously down Blenheim Road.

“The vehicle was observed driving at speed weaving in and out of traffic,” he said. “Police tried to stop the driver before he injured or killed an innocent member of the public. “This is a tragic waste of human life. We are sick and tired of telling people to slow down, and if you’re signalled by police to stop, then stop,” Johnston said. MacKay had previously appeared on police Crime Stop. He was wanted for possession of instruments for car conversion, theft of motor vehicle, breach of community work.

The Press Last updated 10:50 23/06/2010

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