A man is facing serious charges after police uncovered firearms, dogs in distress, and an alleged drink-driving incident during a dramatic vehicle stop in Port Stephens.
The chaos unfolded around 3 PM yesterday (Sunday, 5 January 2025) on Nelson Bay Road, Salt Ash. Port Stephens-Hunter Police pulled over a 49-year-old man, and what started as a routine stop quickly escalated.
During a search of the man’s vehicle, officers allegedly discovered two unregistered firearms and two dogs suffering from heat stress. Police immediately provided water to the distressed animals before placing them in the care of a local resident.
To add to the drama, the man allegedly failed a preliminary roadside breath test, later recording a blood alcohol concentration of 0.127 at Raymond Terrace Police Station.
The list of charges is staggering:
- Possess unregistered firearm in a public place
- Commit an act of cruelty upon an animal
- Use an unregistered Class A vehicle
- Drive during a disqualification period
- Drive with a mid-range prescribed concentration of alcohol
Despite the severity of the allegations, the man was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday, 13 January 2025.