A man has been charged with a number of offences after allegedly evading police in a car stolen from the Sunshine Coast before crashing the vehicle in Maryborough today, Queensland Police say.
It will be alleged around midday the 30-year-old man entered a car dealership on Industrial Avenue at Caloundra, took the keys of a car being serviced and threatened staff before driving away in a vehicle.
The same car was observed around 12.45pm allegedly driving at high speed on the Bruce Highway northbound through Kybong where it crashed into a guide post without stopping and nearly collided with a truck.
The vehicle then clipped the side of another car at the intersection of Excelsior Road and continued travelling at high speed through the centre of Gympie.
Around 1.15pm, police attempted to intercept the alleged stolen vehicle after it was observed being driven at high speed northbound on the Bruce Highway through Gunalda.
The car evaded police and continued along the Bruce Highway.
A short time later, the vehicle was involved in a traffic crash on Pallas Street in Maryborough.
The male driver allegedly fled the scene and was later detained by police after being located hiding under a house on Albert Street.
The 30-year-old Maryborough man has been charged with three counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of fail to stop vehicle, and one count each of unlawful use of motor vehicle, driving under the influence of a drug, wilful damage, unlawful possession of suspected stolen property, trespass, possess property suspected of having been acquired for the purpose of committing a drug offence, and unlicensed driving.
He is due to appear in Maryborough Magistrates Court tomorrow, May 4.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
