Witness to Magiagi Crash Says it Could Have Been Much Worse

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Just after 5pm as commuters headed home from work, the Magiagi hill got blocked off to await the towing of a police motor vehicle flipped over to its side in the middle of the road.

Just after 5pm Mon 15th Feb 2021, Police Car flipped on its side on Magiagi hill. PC: Jaleen Tupai, SGN.

The driver and 3 passengers who were in a second vehicle seen parked next to the police car, say they were lucky to have escaped unharmed, and with minimal damage to their car.

“Se magu o makou lea e kigaiga ai ii i le faalavelave lea…”

Witness pointing towards the Faatoia road where the police car had travelled from.. PC: Jaleen Tupai, SGN.

They were travelling from the Vaivase-tai road and when they reached the Stop sign infront of the Vaai store, they saw the police car a fair way along the road coming from Faatoaia.

“We could see the police car, he was quite a distance away.. there were no other vehicles, so we continued and headed down the hill..

“As we drove down we heard the bang and saw him crash into the rock wall here…

Photo: Jaleen Tupai, SGN.

“So we slowed and as we stopped, the vehicle flipped and chipped the front part of our car before it landed on its side,” the man from Vaiusu explains.

The Police officer was alone in the vehicle. The rock wall along the side of the Magiagi hill road was visibly damaged at the spot witnesses say, the police car had crashed into.

The rock wall visibly damaged from the police car. PC: Jaleen Tupai, SGN

“Ua ova kele lava le saoasaoa o le taavale leoleo,” one passenger from the maroon Hyundai said.

“Ua makuai lucky lava o le lemu o le alu o le matou taavale..”, he says.

Police breathalyzed the driver of the maroon vehicle, and when asked, Police Commissioner Su’a Fuiavailiili Egon Keil says the driver of the police vehicle was also tested.

Police conducting breathalyzer test on driver of Maroon vehicle.

Police confirmed both drivers were tested and returned negative on alcohol.

FESA arrived and ensured the safety of the flipped vehicle, and were seen sweeping away debris. Urle’s tow truck arrived and  cleared the road before 6pm.

Commuters heading home from work stopped for a front row seat as Police and FESA work to investigate and clear the road for the public. PC: Jaleen Tupai, SGN.

Close to 60 people were lined up along the top of the hill with front row seats as Police and FESA investigate, and the tow truck cleared the road .

Police Commissioner Su’a Fuiavailiili Egon Keil says he is awaiting a full report a the accident.


Sina Retzlaff