A Darlington Point man has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to failing to stop for a police pursuit, reckless driving, and multiple counts of property damage after a chase along the Sturt Highway.
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Damien Brown appeared in Griffith Local Court last week via video link.
The court heard in October, police were made aware of a possible stolen vehicle in the Hay area (not the defendant’s car).
On the same day, they observed the defendant’s car on the Sturt Highway and signalled for him to pull over.
When he failed to do so, a pursuit began.
A female passenger was also observed in the car.
After about 10kms, the vehicle slowed to 40km/h and turned onto the grass verge on the north side of the highway.
The car to spun onto the other side of the highway and continue back toward Hay.
Meanwhile, police positioned themselves along the Sturt Highway east of the pursuit.
As the defendant approached the patrol car, he slowed to 40km/h, turned right and through a barb wire fence.
He continued through another fence and along a driveway, continued past a home and into a a paddock.
Mr Brown was followed for 10kms until he reached the Kidman Way where he was faced with another waiting patrol car.
He then turned into a neighbouring property, driving through another fence until he reached the Sturt Highway once again.
The pursuit continued into Darlington Point, with police setting up road spikes over the Darlington Point Bridge.
The spikes caused a blowout of one of the tyres, and the defendant made his way into the Darlington Point caravan park.
He and his passenger then ditched the vehicle and crossed the river on foot, ignoring law enforcement’s attempts to flag him down.
At this point, his face was clearly visible to police.
On October 7, Mr Brown was arrested in Darlington Point and taken to Griffith station where he was later refused bail.
Police estimated that nine fences and 10 gates were damaged in the pursuit, all of which needed repairing or replacing.
Mr Brown was unlicensed at the time of the chase.
He was sentenced to 18 months with a non-parole period of nine months for the police pursuit and 12 months with a non-parole period of six months for the other charges.
Mr Brown will be eligible for parole next year.
