The family of a 16-year-old boy who died after the trail bike he was riding and an unmarked police car crashed in Sydney has called for an independent inquiry into the death.
Police have launched a critical incident investigation into Saturday’s crash that killed Indigenous teenager Jai Wright, but his father Lachlan Wright says an independent inquiry is needed. He claimed police had told the family two different versions of what happened, and the family want to know if Jai was being pursued by police at the time of the crash.
Jai, a former International Grammar School student who was undertaking an electrical apprenticeship, died on Sunday afternoon after suffering serious head injuries in the crash in Alexandria on Saturday morning.
Lachlan Wright said his family deserved to know exactly what happened to their “bright and lively boy”.
“We’ve been given inconsistent information by police as to what caused our child’s death,” he said outside the Royal Prince Alfred hospital on Monday.
“Any parent wants to know how their little boy has died. That is why we are calling for entirely independent inquiry away from the police.”
The distraught father said police initially told the family that an unmarked police car “turned in front of Jai”, causing the teen to crash.
But he said police later the same day “told us that there was no pursuit and … the police car was parked and Jai lost control of his bike and ran into the police car”.
Wright said the family felt “disrespected” by New South Wales police.
He is calling on anyone who saw the crash, has CCTV of the incident or knows anything about what happened to come forward.
New South Wales police on Monday declined to answer questions regarding the crash.
In a statement, police said officers noticed two suspected stolen vehicles – one of which was a blue 2019 Sherco trail bike – around 7am on Saturday near Enmore Road and King Street in Newtown.
Police allege the bike was last seen turning right into Sydney Park Road in Alexandria before it was involved in a crash with the unmarked police car at the intersection of Henderson and Mitchell roads in Alexandria at 7.35am.
Jai was treated at the scene by paramedics, before being taken to the Royal Prince Alfred hospital where he died on Sunday afternoon.
Police say a critical incident team from Sydney City Police Area Command is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, with the investigation subject to an independent review.
Speaking outside the hospital alongside two of Jai’s brothers, Marli and Kaidyn, as well as Jai’s mother, Kylie, Lachlan Wright described Jai as “our loving boy”.
“He finished year 10 last year and started an electrician’s apprenticeship. He’s not going to be able to finish that,” Wright said.
“He just seemed to get along with everyone. No one really had a bad thing to say about him.
“His little little brother would say that ‘Jai Jai’ is his favourite and he’s never gonna say it again.”
