A MAN arrested after a senior constable was injured during an attempted arrest and alleged police pursuits at Lake Macquarie will face court on Thursday.
Officers from the Northern High Visibility Policing Team attended a carpark on the Pacific Highway at Bennetts Green about 2.45pm on Tuesday where they saw a grey Volkswagen Amarok ute with allegedly stolen NSW registration plates.
Police approached the vehicle, but the male driver tried to drive off.
A male senior constable smashed the driver's window to remove the keys from the ignition. It is alleged the driver resisted, causing the officer's arms to be pushed into shattered glass.
The driver then fled the scene in the ute onto South Street, Windale.
Police will allege a pursuit began and continued in the surrounding streets but was terminated a short time later.
Numerous patrols were conducted throughout the area, however the vehicle could not be found.
Following inquiries, police identified that the ute had been stolen from Valentine between 6pm on July 25 and 8.50am on July 26.
The senior constable was taken to John Hunter Hospital with minor injuries to his arms and has since been released.
As part of ongoing inquiries, the Northern HVP Team attempted to stop a grey Amarok ute northbound on the Pacific Highway about 9am on Wednesday.
A pursuit was initiated with the Amarok allegedly reaching speeds of about 160km/h in a 100km/h zone.
During the alleged pursuit, additional resources were requested before the utility crashed into bushland off Lakeview Parade, Pelican.
The driver and sole occupant allegedly fled the ute on foot.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District, Operation Utah, Traffic and Highway Patrol and the Dog Unit conducted an extensive search and arrested a 35-year-old man in Little Pelican a short time later.
The Caves Beach man was taken to Belmont Police Station.
Police said he was charged with 24 offences including:
- Break and enter house steal value less than $60,000 (x2),
- receive property - theft (serious indictable offence x2),
- dishonestly obtain property by deception (x5),
- steal motor vehicle,
- drive conveyance taken without consent of owner,
- police pursuit - not stop - drive recklessly (x2),
- drive motor vehicle during disqualification period (x2),
- use registrable vehicle not display authorised number plates,
- use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention,
- assault police officer in execution of duty cause actual bodily harm (x2),
- resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty (x2),
- goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle),
- refuse to submit to taking of blood sample, and,
- refuse or fail to provide urine sample.
The 35-year-old was refused bail to face Newcastle Local Court.
