Two men have been charged following a cross-border pursuit in the Murray River region yesterday.
Officers attached to Murray River Police District's Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were conducting a road safety operation when a Holden Statesman – allegedly stolen from an address on Beard Street, Wodonga, Victoria, about 6.15am yesterday (Monday 11 April 2022) - was sighted along Ryan Road, Glenroy.
Police attempted to pull over the Holden, but the vehicle failed to stop and was later sighted in Wodonga, about 12.15pm.
The vehicle then entered NSW via the Hume Highway, where police initiated a pursuit; it was terminated soon after due to safety concerns.
A second pursuit was then initiated by officers about 2pm before the vehicle crashed into a fence along Alma Park Road, Walla Walla, with the driver fleeing on foot.
With the assistance of the Dog Unit, a man was located one kilometre away. The 23-year-old was arrested and taken to Culcairn Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries, before being conveyed to Albury Police Station where checks revealed he was disqualified from driving.
As part of inquiries, police received information the passenger in the Holden during the pursuit had been sighted at the intersection of Walbundrie Road and Scholz Road, Walla Walla, just before 6pm, about five kilometres northeast of where the allegedly stolen car crashed.
The man reportedly entered a Subaru Brumby utility and responding police stopped the vehicle on Urana Road, just north of Jindera, arresting the passenger, a 22-year-old man.
He resisted officers and allegedly fled the vehicle and jumped a fence into a paddock, where he allegedly stole an Isuzu D-Max from a property.
Police blocked the utility and detained the man, who continued to violently resist officers, trying to run away. He was restrained and taken to Albury Police Station.
The older man was charged with eight offences:
- Receive etc property stolen outside NSW,
- Police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously – second offence (x2),
- Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period – second offence,
- Not give particulars to owner of damaged property,
- Not give particulars to police,
- Driver not disclose identity of driver/passenger as required, and,
- Refuse or fail to submit to taking of blood sample
The younger man was charged with steal motor vehicle, assault police officer in execution of duty without actual bodily harm, escape police custody, and resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty.
Both men were refused bail to appear in Albury Local Court today (Tuesday 12 April 2022).
A male senior constable sustained minor injuries.
The Holden was seized and will undergo forensic examination.
