Four people will face court today charged with a combined 43 offences – including assaulting police and producing a weapon to avoid apprehension – following an alleged police pursuit through the Hunter Valley region yesterday.
About 9am (Tuesday 14 March 2023), Traffic and Highway Patrol officers were patrolling the Pokolbin area, when they detected a Toyota Hilux allegedly travelling at high speed on Broke Road.
When the Toyota failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated travelling through Wollombi township with road spikes successfully deployed at Paynes Crossing.
The vehicle stopped at a nearby property and the four occupants fled before allegedly stealing a Nissan utility parked nearby and driving off.
A short time later, police again deployed road spikes, stopping the Nissan near bushland at Sweetmans Creek, where the four occupants fled into bushland.
Following an extensive foot pursuit, a 37-year-old woman and three men – aged 26, 41 and 44 – were arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station.
The 37-year-old woman was charged with 23 offences, including:
• two outstanding warrants,
• break enter and steal,
• assault with intent to take/drive motor vehicle,
• aggravated take/drive motor vehicle in company,
• three counts of drive while disqualified,
• two counts of use weapon to avoid lawful detention,
• three counts of resist arrest,
• two counts of assault police,
• be carried in conveyance without consent,
• two counts of take and drive conveyance without consent,
• two counts of police pursuit – drive recklessly,
• use weapon to avoid apprehension,
• goods in custody suspected of being stolen, and
• possess prohibited drug.
The 41-year-old man was charged with 11 offences, including:
• aggravated take/drive motor vehicle in company,
• drive while unlicensed,
• take/drive conveyance without consent,
• three counts of be carried in conveyance without consent,
• resist arrest,
• assault police in execution of duty, and
• three counts of use weapon to avoid lawful detention.
The 44-year-old man was charged with breach of bail, two counts of be carried in conveyance without consent, and resist police.
The 26-year-old man was charged with two counts of be carried in conveyance without consent, resist police, possess prohibited drug and possess offensive implement.
Police will allege in court the 41-year-old produced a knife and threatened police attempting to arrest him and the 37-year-old woman during the foot pursuit.
All four were refused bail to appear at Cessnock Local Court today (Wednesday 15 March 2023).
Investigations are continuing.
