Highway Patrol officers have charged a driver after he allegedly drove from officers on the northern NSW border in a stolen car yesterday.
About 1.30pm (Sunday 31 May 2026), officers attached to Tweed/Byron Highway Patrol received a report that a BYD hatchback had allegedly been stolen in Bilinga, Queensland, and was driving towards NSW on the Pacific Highway.
Police began patrolling the area for the stolen car before locating it about 1.40pm on the Pacific Highway, near the Kennedy Drive off ramp, Fingal Head.
Officers directed the driver to stop; however, when they allegedly failed to do so a pursuit was initiated.
During the pursuit the BYD was allegedly travelling at 168km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone.
The pursuit continued into the Chinderah area after the hatchback took the Fingal Road off ramp.
While in pursuit, the hatchback allegedly drove onto a footpath along the Tweed River, before the pursuit was terminated due to safety concerns.
A short time later, police received a report from Queensland Police Service's PolAir helicopter that the BYD had crashed into several fences, gardens and cars along Fingal Road, before stopping after crashing into two palm trees.
On arrival, police found that the driver had allegedly run from the scene before swimming across the Wommin Lagoon.
Officers arrested the driver – a 28-year-old man – on Lagoon Road shortly after before taking him to Tweed Valley Hospital for mandatory testing and treatment for an unrelated arm injury.
He has been charged with police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously, class A m/v exceed speed more than 45 km/h, not comply conditions of licence, and not give particulars to owner of damaged property.
The man has been refused bail to appear before Bail Division Local Court 1 today (Monday 1 June 2026).
