A good Samaritan man has played an integral part in the arrest of two people during a police pursuit on the state’s Mid North Coast yesterday, NSW Police say.
About 8.50am (Wednesday 18 July 2018), a blue Ford Festiva was detected allegedly speeding while heading south on the Pacific Highway, Columbatti.
Highway Patrol officers from Mid North Coast attempted to pull the vehicle over, however, it failed to comply and a pursuit was initiated.
The vehicle, allegedly stolen from Queensland on 15 July 2018, continued heading south on the pacific Highway, reaching speeds in excess of 180kph.
Police have laid road-spikes near the Kundabung rest area, however, the offending vehicle did a U-turn and started heading north. The vehicle allegedly smashed through a farm gate on Mingaletta Road where it continued along a dirt track before smashing through another two gates.
Police lost sight of the vehicle due to the boggy conditions of the track.
A man, driving a 4WD saw the police vehicle bogged and stopped to assist. The Highway Patrol officer, a NSW Police Dog handler and his Police Dog, all jumped into the 4WD and continued along the track looking for the stolen vehicle.
The vehicle was located further up the track bogged and abandoned. The Police Dog started to track the driver and located a man aged 19, and a woman aged 20, in the middle of a swamp.
The pair were arrested and taken to Kempsey Police Station where the following charges were laid;
- The man was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerously, exceed speed > 45kph, drive conveyance without consent of owner, receive property stolen outside NSW, destroy or damage property <=$2000, driver never licensed
- The woman was charged with being carried in a conveyance taken without consent and receive property stolen outside NSW
They were both refused bail and will appear in Port Macquarie Local Court today (Thursday 19 July 2018).
