A man has been charged with five offences after an alleged road rage pursuit through West Tamworth ended with a ute crashing into a home, injuring a woman inside.
About 10.35pm on Tuesday, 15 September, emergency services responded to reports a white Holden Colorado had crashed into a home on Macgregor Street, West Tamworth. Surveillance footage showed the ute tearing through the front fence, taking out a street sign, hopping the kerb and smashing through a garden bed before slamming through a brick wall and into the bedroom.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated a 66-year-old occupant of the home, who was asleep in the bedroom at the time of the crash, and took her to Tamworth Hospital in a serious but stable condition. She suffered deep lacerations to the head and spinal injuries.
Oxley Police District Crime Manager Detective Inspector Tom Aylett said the crash would have been a terrifying ordeal for the woman.
“That would be very confronting to be asleep and have a vehicle come through your bedroom,” Detective Inspector Aylett said.
“She has survived only through probably an act of God that she hasn’t been killed when that vehicle went through her bedroom.”
The driver allegedly left the scene before emergency services arrived, with security camera footage showing a man running from the scene moments after the crash. Detective Inspector Aylett said the driver’s actions after the crash had compounded the ordeal.
“In some callous sense, the driver has fled the scene,” Detective Inspector Aylett said. “There has not rendered assistance and left the person to fend for themselves.”
Officers from Oxley Police District launched an investigation. Police were told that shortly before the crash, the driver of the Colorado had allegedly approached a Hyundai Getz parked on Ridge Street, West Tamworth, and become involved in an argument with the Getz’s driver, a 17-year-old girl, and two 16-year-old passengers, before the Getz left the scene.
Police will allege the Colorado’s driver then pursued the Getz around surrounding streets before it crashed into the house. The drivers of the two vehicles are not believed to be known to each other, and the occupants of the Getz were not injured.
Following extensive inquiries, police arrested the driver of the Colorado, a 43-year-old man, at a home on Ridge Street about 11am on Friday, 18 September. He was taken to Tamworth Police Station and charged with five offences, including negligent driving, driving a motor vehicle menacing another with intent, attempting to stalk or intimidate with intent to cause fear of harm, failing to stop and assist after an impact causing injury, and driving recklessly or furiously or at a speed or in a manner dangerous to others.
His Queensland driver’s licence was also suspended by police. He was refused bail to appear at Tamworth Local Court on Monday, 28 September.
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