Man charged after pursuit – Central Coast

A man has been charged with multiple offences following a pursuit on the Central Coast last week.

Officers from Brisbane Water Police District were called to a shopping centre in Green Point about 7.30pm (Saturday 21 January 2023), after a woman reported she’d been held against her will by a man who then stole her SUV.

Acting on information provided, police saw the vehicle on James Sea Drive at Green Point, and a pursuit was initiated when the driver allegedly failed to stop as directed.

Police followed the vehicle through Central Coast suburbs where it allegedly reached speeds of up to 120km/h in a 60km/h zone.

The SUV allegedly struck a ute on Terrigal Drive at Erina a short time later; the female driver was shaken but not injured.

PolAir tracked the vehicle to a roundabout at the intersection of the Central Coast Highway and Crystal Street, Forresters Beach, where it hit a police vehicle and rolled onto its side.

The driver was taken into custody after a short struggle during which OC spray and a Taser were deployed to affect the arrest.

The 33-year-old Cherrybrook man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for minor injuries believed to have been sustained in the crash, before he was taken to Gosford hospital under police guard.

On his release, the man was taken to Gosford Police Station where he was charged with 10 driving offences, including;

– Two counts of contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic),

– Common assault,

– Take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage,

– Drive conveyance taken without consent of owner,

– Drive while licence cancelled,

– Police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously,

– Not give particulars to other driver,

– Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, and

– Hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty

He was refused bail on Tuesday (24 January 2023) and will appear in Gosford Local Court later this year (24 March 2023).