A man has been charged after two police officers were injured in a crash south of Sydney.
About 1.10am yesterday (Saturday 31 December 2023), officers from Wollongong Highway Patrol were conducting stationary random breath testing in the north and south bound lanes of the Princes Highway at Figtree.
It will be alleged a southbound black Audi sedan attempted to avoid the RBT by crossing the double unbroken lines, before travelling north.
Officers commenced a patrol to locate the vehicle.
As a police vehicle was at the crest of a hill on Springfield Avenue, the Audi crashed head-on into the police vehicle by the Audi that was allegedly being driven on the wrong side of the road at excessive speed. The Audi also collided with a parked and unattended vehicle at the location.
Upon impact the driver of the Audi – a 46-year-old man from Cordeaux Heights – ran from the scene. He was arrested a short time later in Greenhill Avenue.
Two male officers in the police vehicle – a Senior Constable who was driving and a sergeant who was acting as observer – were injured and treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
All vehicle occupants were taken to Wollongong Hospital and treated for non life-threatening injuries.
Drivers of both vehicles underwent mandatory testing with officers from the Crash Investigation Unit commencing an investigation into the matter.
The senior constable was released from hospital later that evening. Due to injuries sustained the sergeant had surgery performed on his right hand and has since been discharged from hospital.
The driver of the Audi was released from hospital today (Sunday 1 January 2023), where he was placed under arrest and taken to Wollongong Police Station.
Inquiries have established that his driver's licence was disqualified in October 2022 for a period of six months.
He was charged with seven offences including:
- Dangerous driving occasioning GBH – drive manner dangerous
- Negligent driving (occasions grievous bodily harm)
- Fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing GBH
- Fail to stop and assist after impact cause injury
- Cause bodily harm by misconduct, in charge of motor vehicle
- Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period
- Not keep left of dividing line – class C average speed
The man has been refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court tomorrow (Monday 2 January 2022).
Investigators are awaiting the results of the mandatory testing.
Inquiries are continuing.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
