A police pursuit through the heart of Armidale has ended with a 22-year-old woman charged, after an allegedly stolen vehicle was chased just metres from Anzac Day commemorations.
Shortly before 11.30am on Saturday 25 April, officers attached to New England Police District attempted to stop a Toyota Hilux utility on Waterfall Way at Metz, about 23 kilometres west of Armidale, after observing it being driven erratically.
When the driver failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated, continuing towards Armidale before being terminated a short time later due to safety concerns.
Police later deployed road spikes on Waterfall Way near the intersection of Eathorpe Road, successfully slowing the vehicle and prompting a second pursuit as the Hilux continued into Armidale.
The vehicle travelled along Barney Street, passing Central Park at the same time hundreds of residents had gathered for the city’s Anzac Day service. Witnesses described the Hilux as rattling and clearly distressed as it sped past, followed closely by police vehicles, just metres from hundreds of people – including many children – attending the service.
The sirens and commotion came at the exact moment 100 year old veteran Ron Vickress had just begun his speech to the crowd at the Anzac Day service, but he carried on unperturbed after a couple of short pauses at the peak of the noise.
The pursuit came to an end just two blocks down the road, when the Hilux failed to negotiate the roundabout at the intersection of Barney and Markham streets, colliding with a parked vehicle near the University of the Third Age and causing minor damage.
The driver, a 22-year-old woman, was arrested at the scene. Police allege the vehicle had been stolen earlier that day.
She was taken to Armidale Police Station and charged with take and drive conveyance without consent of owner and police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously.
The driver was refused bail and is due to appear at Bail Division Court 5 on Sunday 26 April.
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