Police have charged six teenagers following a pursuit in the state’s Hunter region.
About 10.35pm last night (Saturday 22 June 2024) officers attached to the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command observed an allegedly stolen Volkswagen sedan travelling at speed on the New England Highway, Whittingham.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle and when it failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated.
The vehicle was pursued through Singleton and Muswellbrook before police successfully deployed road spikes and formed a roadblock near Aberdeen, stopping the vehicle.
During the roadblock, the Volkswagen allegedly rammed into two highway patrol vehicles.
All six occupants – a 14-year-old male driver and his five male passengers, one aged 15 and four aged 17 – were arrested at the scene and taken to Muswellbrook Police Station.
The 14-year-old driver was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly, drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, class A motor vehicle exceed speed more than 45km/h – estimated and destroy or damage property.
Police will allege in court the driver travelled at speeds up to 160km/h in a marked 90km/h zone during the pursuit.
The four 17-year-old boys were each charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner and possess means of disguising face with intent commit indictable offence.
The 15-year-old boy was charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner.
All six teenagers were refused bail to appear before a children’s court today (Sunday 23 June 2024).
