Alleged Wallaroo siege gunman Jake Dohnt charged with assaulting, threatening to kill woman who allegedly helped him evade arrest by SA Police
Alleged Wallaroo siege gunman Jake Dohnt repeatedly bashed and threatened to kill the woman accused of helping him evade police, a court has heard.
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- Alleged Wallaroo gunman arrested outside Port Wakefield
- Wallaroo siege case caught up in court ‘efficiency’ stoush
Alleged Wallaroo siege gunman Jake Dohnt repeatedly bashed and threatened to kill the woman accused of helping him evade police, a court has heard.
Two months ago, the case against Dohnt appeared to be in jeopardy, with a magistrate warning the long-delayed case was on the verge of being thrown out.
On Tuesday, however, prosecutors filed new papers with the court, charging Dohnt with 10 offences – including multiple attacks upon his co-accused, Ashlee Ida Pfennig.
Dohnt, 25, was originally charged with 15 offences including endangering life, driving dangerously and making threats to kill another person.
The charges arise from a two-day manhunt in Wallaroo in July last year that began when, police allege, officers tried to pull Dohnt over on the Spencer Highway.
He allegedly refused to stop and led police on a pursuit, abandoning his car and then pointing an imitation handgun at officers, forcing one to fire a single shot in his direction.
Wallaroo was shut down as officers from STAR Group and the Dog Operations Unit – using the armoured Bearcat vehicle – searched for Dohnt.
They warned Dohnt was armed and dangerous, and alleged he was being harboured by Pfennig, prior to his arrest in a paddock outside Port Wakefield.
In January, the court heard evidence in the case had yet to be gathered, meaning it was missing deadlines set by controversial court efficiency measures and may be thrown out.
On Thursday, prosecutors alleged Donht had assaulted Pfennig four times, and threatened to kill her twice, between June 25 and July 11 last year.
They further alleged he threatened the life of a police officer during the siege, and endangered the life of a motorist prior to his arrest.
It is also alleged Dohnt caused harm to that motorist through “a prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of very bad driving”.
Prosecutors asked the case be adjourned for a further 14 weeks to obtain and finalise evidence – a delay Dohnt’s counsel said was unnecessarily long.
Magistrate Brett Dixon disagreed, granting the adjournment and remanding Dohnt in custody until June.
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