Firearm charges after motor vehicle accident in South Coast

Three men have been charged after firearms and drugs were located in a vehicle following a crash on the South Coast yesterday.

At 4.30pm (Saturday 19 October 2019), a Blue Holden VS Utility was travelling north on the Princes Highway at Bimbimbie, south of Batemans Bay, when it crossed onto the southbound lane and rolled onto an embankment.

A Batemans Bay Highway Patrol vehicle witnessed the accident and attended the scene.

The 32-year-old driver and two passengers of the vehicle, aged 18 and 20, attempted to run from the scene and were arrested shortly after.

Officers located and seized a backpack allegedly containing a shortened .22 rifle and a shortened shotgun with a significant amount of ammunition, as well as knives, paperwork, including stolen prescription pads, and drug-related paraphernalia.

Upon searching the men, officers also allegedly located prescribed restricted substances – with no prescriptions – a small amount of methamphetamine, cannabis, knives and knuckledusters.

The three men were taken to Batemans Bay Police Station where they were charged with various offences.

The driver, from Batemans Bay, was charged with drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm) and possess/attempt to, prescribed restricted substance.

The 18-year-old passenger, from Mogo, was charged with two counts of possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority, two counts of possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, custody of knife in public place – subsequent offence and possess prohibited drug.

The 20-year-old passenger, from Bingi, was charged with two counts of possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority, two counts of possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, possess prohibited drug, possession of equipment for administering prohibited drugs, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle), custody of knife in public place (subsequent offence) and restricted substance sold by non-wholesaler.

All three men were refused bail to appear in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday 21 October 2019.

/Public Release. View in full here.