by Tejas Mehta
29 October 2010
A police officer who caused the death of a teenager in a car crash will not face further action, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has ruled.
Khaleel Rheman, 16, of Lathom Road, East Ham, east London, was killed by a police car after he cycled across a pedestrian crossing on Pilgrims Way. Although the pedestrian lights were green, the officer was responding to an emergency call and was driving at 55mph with his blue lights flashing, but no sirens, since it was 12.30am.
Rachel Cerfontyne, of the IPCC, said: "This investigation showed that the police driver was responding proportionally to an emergency call.
"He had activated his blue lights but not his siren, which is in line with police policy and he has fully explained his thought process behind this decision.
"Ultimately, the sad fact is that if Khaleel had used the crossing correctly, he would be alive today.
"That must be a difficult thing for his family and friends to come to terms with and my thoughts are with them."