NYERI: A Friday morning training exercise ended in tragedy after a defiant driver plowed into a group of police recruits in Kiganjo, killing one and sending 27 others to the hospital.

The recruits, from the National Police Service (NPS) main training campus, were jogging back toward their college along the Marua-Chaka Road when the incident occurred.

According to preliminary reports, the driver of a Toyota Fielder had earlier failed to stop when signaled by officers.

Moments later, the vehicle veered off the road near a petrol station, striking the trainees from behind as they ran along the left side of the carriage.

A 24-year-old male recruit was pronounced dead on arrival at Mathari Mission Hospital.

Medical staff confirmed that while some of the remaining 27 recruits sustained serious injuries, most are currently in stable condition.

The driver has since been arrested and is in police custody as investigations begin.

Traffic officers in Nyeri have impounded the vehicle for inspection and are working to determine the exact speed and whether the driver was under the influence or committing other traffic violations at the time of the crash.

This latest horror highlights a deepening crisis on Kenya’s highways. Police data reveals that road fatalities for the month have already climbed to nearly 300, with over 600 people injured in various crashes.

Despite a 2025 death toll that approached 5,000, authorities continue to struggle against the “deadly trio” of reckless overtaking, speeding, and drunk driving.

The body of the deceased recruit has been moved to the mortuary for post-mortem examination as the NPS community mourns the loss of one of its own.