Man arrested after dangerous driving incident

Just after 7pm on Monday 17 February, Northern District police who were investigating a break-in at a Blakeview service station that occurred on Friday, February 14, attended at an address on Conyngham Street, Elizabeth East.

Police will allege, a man was seen sitting in the driver’s seat of a silver Ford station wagon. When police directed him to exit the vehicle, he conducted a three-point turn in the backyard, drove through a fence near the police, and sped off along Halsey Road. Fortunately, the officers were able to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

Shortly later, at 7.40pm, police found the same vehicle at an address on Davies Street, Willaston. As they approached, the driver reversed at speed, crashing into a parked police car and causing substantial damage.

A police officer managed to break the driver’s window, but the driver swung a small hatchet at the officer, who then deployed OC spray. The driver drove back through the property and through rear fence, before colliding with a member of the public’s vehicle which was parked in the driveway while attempting to flee the police.

The man was safely removed and arrested, while trying to escape in his vehicle.

The 37-year-old man from Mount Gambier was charged with multiple offences, including six counts of aggravated endangerment of life, two counts of failing to stop, two counts of property damage, driving while disqualified, hindering police, resisting police, unlawful possession, and assaulting a prescribed emergency worker. He has been refused bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court today.

Investigations are ongoing to determine if the man was involved in the Blakeview service station break-in.

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