Insane footage: Car hoons dangerously through streets of Alice Springs CBD
FRIGHTENING footage shows a stolen car being driven recklessly around one of the Territory’s busiest CBD intersections, with a passenger hanging out of a window as the car screeches through a number of handbrake turns just metres from numerous pedestrians
Northern Territory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Multiple arrests for stealing, traffic offences in Alice Springs
- Man jailed for four months for taking explicit photos of children
- Pedestrian seriously injured after being hit by drunk driver
DRAMATIC footage has surfaced of a Hyundai Accent being driven recklessly around the intersection of Gregory Terrace and Todd Street in Alice Springs’ CBD on Friday night.
The video, posted to social media, captures a portion of the dangerous driving. In the video, a person can be seen hanging out the passenger window while the car speeds through the CBD with numerous pedestrians watching on from the footpath.
The car can be seen executing what appears to be a handbrake turn at the busy intersection. At one point, the vehicle even veers down the wrong side of the road, forcing another oncoming car to hit the brakes.
NT Police confirmed in a statement two youths were arrested following a pursuit of the vehicle, which was stolen from Larapinta Drive.
NT Police used a combination of drones and CCTV footage to track the vehicle and the alleged 14-year-old male driver, along with his 16-year-old male passenger.
The pair was apprehended shortly after 10pm on Friday night.
“A co-ordinated effort by officers from Strike Force Viper, the drone pilot and general duties officers on duty … were quick to effect this arrest,” Detective Senior Sergeant Rob Jordan said. “The vehicle has been seized for further forensic testing.”
CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE digital subscription offer: Amazing offer. Read everything for $1
Araluen Independent MLA Robyn Lambley said she was stunned by the footage.
“I’ve never seen anything like that in Alice Springs, and I’ve been in town since 1994,” she said. “I think it shocked a lot of people.”
Ms Lambley also noted one of the most disturbing aspects of the footage was how early in the evening the incident occurred and thus how populated with pedestrians and other motorists the CBD still was.
“I just find it staggering,” she said.
“You could hear the background noise and it was clear there were a lot of people around.”
There were several incidents of hoon behaviour in Alice Springs at the weekend, but Ms Lambley said the fact this particular incident with the Hyundai was caught on camera and uploaded to social media further complicated the matter.
“It’s a double-edged sword because on one hand people like me need to know what’s going on in town. But the flipside of it is you’re creating a stage for these kids.
“It was almost a brazen performance, and it concerns me that the kids involved will feel proud of themselves, or some sense of satisfaction, because what they’ve done has gone viral.
“It was attention-seeking behaviour in its lowest, most dangerous form.”
The 16-year-old passenger will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.
The 14-year-old driver was remanded in custody and charged by police with aggravated unlawful use of a motor vehicle, drive manner dangerous, recklessly endanger life and drive a motor vehicle while unlicensed.
MORE TO COME
Originally published as Insane footage: Car hoons dangerously through streets of Alice Springs CBD