Northern Region Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Taylor has been stood down after running over and killing a man in Cairns, far north Queensland.
The incident occurred shortly before 4:30am on Monday morning in the driveway of the Cairns district police station.
Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart confirmed that Taylor was driving the car that ran over a 37-year-old male who was visiting Cairns from Longreach.
“This is a very tragic incident,” Stewart said.
“The condolences of the entire service go out to the family of the deceased person.”
A spokesperson for the Queensland Ambulance Service told The Huffington Post Australia that when paramedics arrived at the scene of the incident this morning the man was still underneath the vehicle and was declared dead shortly after.
Stewart said that Taylor was stood down from his role in order to ensure public confidence in the investigation, adding that the Crime and Corruption Commission had also been notified and that a rigorous investigation is underway.
“We have made arrangements for a number of specialists from the Queensland police service to be flown into Cairns to carry out the investigation,” he said.
“I can only imagine the challenges and the thoughts for Mr Taylor today and while this investigation is undertaken.
“This is a tragedy on so many levels. Because a male person, 37 years of age has lost his life.”
Stewart said that he rang Taylor personally in relation to his welfare and that he is holding up “pretty well” while an ongoing process is in place to manage his needs.