Peter John Wilhelm Drazic charged after police seize arsenal of firearms, ammunition and weapons in siege at Highfields property

A 43-year-old was the occupier of a Highfields home that contained a cache of guns, ammo and explosives and led to a siege with police. He’s now been kept in custody.

A 43-year-old man charged in relation to a siege at a Highfields home from which police allegedly seized an array of weapons and ammunition has been remanded in custody.

Peter John Wilhelm Drazic was charged on Wednesday in relation to the January 19 siege at a Bowtell Drive residence and appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Thursday after spending the night in custody.

Police claim an arsenal of weapons and ammunition was seized following a raid at the Highfields home, including a shortened rifle and molotov cocktails.

Officers from Highfields Police Station, Toowoomba Property Crime Unit and the Queensland Police Explosives Ordinance Response Team went to a Bowtell Rd address in Highfields about 10am on January 19 to execute a search warrant in connection to an alleged illegal firearm.

On their arrival Drazic, a 33-year-old Newtown man and a 22-year-old woman complied with police directions to exit the house, while a man escaped through the rear of the yard.

Sergeant Stephen Gillinder said another 22-year-old woman failed to leave the house, and police units were forced to cordon off Bowtell Drive and the Gulawa estate as reinforcements and specialist units were tasked to the scene.

Police allegedly seized an arsenal of weapons and ammunition following a raid on a Highfields property on January 19, 2023.

For about three hours negotiators were talking to the woman during the siege, and about 1pm the woman left the building, surrendering into police custody without injury.

A search of the property allegedly uncovered stolen property, dangerous drugs and drug utensils as well as ammunition, improvised explosive devices in the form of molotov cocktails, fireworks and a stun gun.

Sergeant Gillinder said police searched a neighbouring property and allegedly found a loaded sawn-off .22 calibre rifle in a bag containing identification.

Drazic was not required to enter pleas to the charges which include two counts of unlawfully possessing weapons, to counts of possessing explosives (ammunition and fireworks) as well as possessing dangerous drugs.

Police conducting a search near a Highfields property that was the scene of a siege allegedly found a loaded sawn-off .22 rifle on January 19, 2023.

Duty solicitor Nathan Bouchier, representing Drazic, applied for bail on Thursday.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Julia Wheaton said police objected to bail as Drazic was already on bail for drugs and weapons offences dating back to September, November and December 2022.

However, Mr Bouchier said his client was contesting the charges from last year and would be contesting some charges from the January 19 incident at Highfields.

He said Drazic had co-operated with police immediately and exited the home when police arrived and later agreed to a record of interview with police.

His client had not been charged with the January 19 matters until January 25.

Drazic suffered PTSD from his time in the military and was on a veterans’ pension and a disability pension, was medicated and receiving regular counselling, he said.

His client had used meth in the past but instructed he had not used the drug since his arrest last year.

However, Magistrate Clare Kelly said she had concerns for the seriousness of the allegations and the number of charges Drazic was now facing.

Ms Kelly refused bail and remanded Drazic in custody to appear back in the same court on all matters on February 15.

Originally published as Peter John Wilhelm Drazic charged after police seize arsenal of firearms, ammunition and weapons in siege at Highfields property