More Charges for Man Who Lead Police on a Wild Pursuit Through Lake Macquarie

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The man responsible for leading police on a wild pursuit across Lake Macquarie last month is expected to be charged with further offences in court today.

Just after 10am on December 31, police attempted to stop a car being driven by a 22-year-old man at Wallsend.

The driver refused to stop and sped off leading police on a number of purists on the Hunter Expressway, Newcastle Link Road and on the M1 before the driver crashed and attempted to carjack a vehicle on the M1.

It didn't stop there, the driver then allegedly carjacked a different car after failing the first time, and was involved in another pursuit with police and attempted to carjack more vehicles.

He was eventually arrested after allegedly ramming an unmarked police vehicle and appeared in court last month on a number of charges relating to those incidents.

The man will face Newcastle Local Court today where he is expected to be charged with two counts of assault with intent to take motor vehicle, three counts of police pursuit - not stop (Skye's Law) and possess property stolen outside NSW.

EARLIER:

BREAKING! Wanted Man Arrested after Terrifying Pursuit in the Hunter

BREAKING! Wanted Man Arrested after Terrifying Pursuit in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE and LAUREN FREEMANTLE

UPDATE

Police have a wanted man in custody after a lengthy pursuit in the Hunter this morning.

Officers allegedly started to chase a 22-year-old man, who was driving a Mitsubishi Sedan on the Hunter Expressway near Heddon Greta after receiving word of his whereabouts just after 10am and pursued him west, before turning around and heading east on the wrong side of the road.

He stopped and a police car pulled up behind him and before taking off again he allegedly rammed the police car, a Ford Falcon Sedan, which caused the airbags to deploy leaving the two police officers inside with minor injuries. The police car was written off.

The chase continued on the M1 Pacific Motorway to Freemans Waterhole. It's also believed at this point there was a female passenger in the wanted man's car and she jumped out.

The 22-year-old kept going and then stopped again, carjacking another vehicle. The driver of the hijacked car, which is believed to be an Audi, jumped out and is uninjured.

Not long later, police managed to arrest him when he stopped for a third time near Sparks Road and he's been taken into custody.

Investigations are continuing.

EARLIER 11am:

A man is in custody after a police pursuit across the Hunter this morning.

A car was pursued by police first on Newcastle Link Road at Edgeworth, and then onto the Hunter Expressway near Singleton.

The vehicle has now been stopped by police, and investigations are continuing.

Paul from Cessnock was on the road at the time and told 2NURFM News all he could do was quickly move out of the way and hope for the best.

"I moved over quickly to keep right away from him and he just went flying past. It was just awful, very awful. One was very powerless."

EARLIER:

There have been reports of a car driving on the wrong side of the Hunter Expressway - heading towards Singleton in the southbound lane driving north.

Witnesses say they saw the car driving erratically near the Kurri Kurri exit before police attended the scene.

We'll have more details as they come to hand.

Man tragically killed in head on crash

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A notorious stretch of road in the Hunter has claimed another life.

A man tragically died in a head on collision on Putty Road, about 60km south west of Singleton yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Putty Road just before 1:50pm where initial inquiries suggest a Toyota Hilux utility and a Mitsubishi Triton utility crashed head on.

The driver of the Toyota, a 37-year-old man died at the scene.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, a 48-year-old man, and his female passenger were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics at the scene for minor injuries. The man was taken to Singleton Hospital and the woman to the John Hunter Hospital - both reportedly in stable conditions.

A crime scene has been established and inquiries are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the incident. A report is also being prepared for the Coroner.

Meanwhile, a dirt bike rider has died over the weekend after he suffered a heart attack in bushland at Wallsend.

The man was riding with his son in bushland near the Newcastle Link Road yesterday afternoon when he came off his bike.

Motorcyclist killed at West Wallsend

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A young motorcyclist has died after a horror crash at West Wallsend yesterday.

He was travelling north on the M1 just after 4:30pm when he crashed on the exit linking the motorway with the Newcastle Link Road.

The man was treated at the scene by paramedics but died a short time later.

Police are yet to release his name, and his family are travelling to Newcastle today.

Investigations are continuing but police say initial investigations has led them to believe the vehicle left the road and crashed.

Northbound traffic was diverted via George Booth Drive and Cameron Park Drive while police and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended.