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Policeman killed in hit-and-run while on traffic patrol

21 Comments

A 50-year-old police officer was hit by a car while performing a routine traffic patrol in Osaka on Thursday. The officer was transported to the hospital where he died about seven hours later.

The driver of the yellow car that hit the officer sped off, police said Friday.

According to police, the incident occurred in Naniwa Ward at around 4 p.m. A pedestrian noticed the officer, Teruhisa Shinmachi, lying on the street and summoned help, TBS reported.

Police said that footage from a nearby security camera captured the incident. Shinmachi was stationed at the road looking for traffic violators when he noticed the yellow vehicle about to make an illegal right turn. Although Shinmachi flagged down the vehicle in an attempt to stop him, the car kept going and hit him.

Police said the car appeared to be a rental car.

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21 Comments
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Poor guy. I got stopped for making an illegal turn years back (didn't notice the time restriction) and the friendly policeman said, "Pay attention to the markings and don't do it again. Have a nice day." Seems they were setting up for a seatbelt check (which I was wearing) and thus weren't geared up for ticketing people for illegal turns.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Not good this. Pinged by the cops for a traffic violation and you end killing someone. The act in itself is bad enough, fleeing the scene of the crime just makes it that much worse. This ain't going to end with a good behavior bond.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

J cops can be a little random when stopping traffice. Poor guy though. dies in the line of duty.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Sorry, to hear.

We often got cops at intersection watching for offenders.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I had a j-cop jump out in front of me on a very busy road (rt.1) to stop a large truck for a load violation. Myself and many other cars had to slam on our brakes. I couldn't believe that was their method of pulling people over.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

My condolences to Officer Shinmachi's family. RIP

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Only a matter of time before the drivers caught. Poor police officer, of all the places, I can think of nothing worse than dying at work.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"I mistook the accelerator for the brake!" in 3...2...1...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"I mistook the accelerator for the brake!" in 3...2...1...

More like "I was drunk and don't remember anything"

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I wonder if this will be another "oh I wanted to hit someone with my car" explanations. On a side note the police have increased police harassment of ordinary citizens lately.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Probably the driver was signaling intent to turn when the officer attempted to intervene and then was struck. Tragic for the officer. The driver may not have been aware that the officer was severely injured, or actually panicked. The driver will surely be found or turn herself in.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Hopefully they will catch the driver and he will go for manslaughter charges. Police do a good job here and dont interfere too much with the flow of the traffic. Get this one and give him a cell for a while.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If it was a rental car it shouldn't be too hard to track down this loser.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

poor guy

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Hit in run is one of the most cowardly things you can do, swift and harsh justice on whoever is responsible and condolences to the family.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Self braking vehicles will prevent such events as this.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Whether or not you're a policeman, it's never a good idea to run out onto the road to stop a moving vehicle by placing your body directly in its path.

Maybe the driver looked down at a map or something for a split second at the exact moment the policeman jumped out onto the road. He must have panicked and drove off.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

he noticed the yellow vehicle about to make an illegal right turn.

People get pulled over before committing offenses now?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Contrary to Hollywood and the news, in the United States, traffic accidents is one of the leading causes of death among police officers.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

RIP. There's something dodgy about the whole stopping the car BEFORE it's done something wrong when it cannot be predicted the driver would have done otherwise, but that is by no means any excuse for what he or she did when the police tried to stop him/her. And running away, too... They'll definitely be turning themselves in by the end of the weekend, and then they'll have a hit and run to deal with on top of killing a police officer. Bad day for all.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

if the officer was "stationed" at the intersection, how could he be on "patrol"?

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

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