A critical incident investigation has been launched following a police pursuit and the arrest of two men at Coffs Harbour yesterday, NSW Police say.
Shortly before 3pm on Tuesday 23 January 2018, Traffic & Highway Patrol officers were conducting stationary speed enforcement duties in a fully marked vehicle on the Pacific Highway at Nambucca Heads.
A white Ford sedan, with two male occupants, was observed to be travelling in excess of the speed limit.
The officers attempted to pursue the Ford, which failed to stop, and after reaching speeds in excess of 190 km/h the police terminated the pursuit.
When the vehicle slowed, the pursuit was re engaged, however after the Ford accelerated away, the pursuit was again terminated.
When the Ford stopped in traffic at the intersection of the Pacific Highway and Combine Street in Coffs Harbour, an officer approached the vehicle on foot, to arrest the occupants.
As the officer approached the vehicle a round discharged from his firearm striking the driver’s side door frame pillar.
The Ford accelerated from the location and struck an embankment a short distance away.
Both male occupants were then arrested by additional police from Coffs Clarence Local Area Command who had converged on the location. No one was injured during the incident.
The two men aged 21 and 20-years-old were arrested and conveyed to Coffs Harbour Police Station. The 21-year-old man was later charged with police pursuit - not stop (Skye’s Law), negligent driving and resist arrest.
The 20-year-old man was released pending further inquiries.
He was refused bail to appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday 29 January 2018. A critical incident team from Richmond Local Area Command will now investigate all circumstances surrounding the incident.
That investigation will be subject to independent review.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers.
