A Tasmania Police officer has been charged with two counts of causing death by negligent driving following a crash in which a mother and son died.
In a statement on Monday, Tasmania Police said a "26-year-old female constable from the Southern District" would appear in court in December to face charges, including:
• Causing death by negligent driving (two counts)
• Drive whilst disqualified
• Drive without due care and attention
• Contravene vehicle standards (two counts)
Police said the offences related to a "fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred in Penna" in May.
The officer was off-duty at the time of the incident, police said, adding she had been "stood down from duty".
Police said it was "not appropriate to make any further comment given the matter is now before the court".
Emergency services were called to Brinktop Road at Penna, near Richmond in Tasmania's south-east, about 5:00pm on Tuesday, May 10.
Police found two people dead in a red Daewoo and two seriously injured in a blue Holden Cruze.
"Attempts were made to revive one of the occupants of the [Daewoo] but unfortunately they were unsuccessful," police said at the time.
"There was a mother and son, she was aged in her 50s and the son was around 16 years old."
The occupants of the blue car were also a mother and her son, aged in his early 20s, who were taken to hospital.
Police Chief Commissioner Donna Adams alleged a black Toyota Hilux driven by the off-duty police officer "appeared to momentarily drift onto the incorrect side of the road".
She said the driver of the red Daewoo hatch then took evasive action and crashed into the blue Holden.
The officer is due to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on December 9.
