Police ATV destroyed, officers rammed in deliberate attack at Kingsholme

A shocking attack has left two Gold Coast police officers hospitalised after their ATV was deliberately rammed. Read what happened.

Body worn camera footage of the vehicle police are looking for over the ATV ramming.

Two police officers have been hospitalised, and their vehicle destroyed, after a deliberate and unprovoked ramming attack on the Gold Coast.

The officers, from Pimpama, were conducting patrols in a marked all terrain vehicle (ATV) along Upper Ormeau Rd in Kingsholme on Sunday morning when they were targeted, according to Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Peter Miles.

“Their (police) attention was drawn to a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road. They thought it looked a bit suspect as they drove towards that vehicle,” he said.

“A male and a female, alighted from a nearby area, got into that vehicle, and then deliberately rammed that ATV.

“The force of the collision was enough to push the ATV into the path of another vehicle, a third vehicle that was driving nearby.”

Body worn camera footage of the vehicle police are looking for over the ATV ramming.

Both officers were taken to Pindara Hospital for treatment and have since been discharged. They’ll remain off work, recovering from whiplash.

The offending vehicle is believed to be an Isuzu MUX with a wrap-around bullbar, a black snorkel on the driver’s side, and black mag wheels. Police checks have revealed the vehicle had false number plates – it is unclear at this stage whether they were stolen or cloned.

“We don’t know who these people are, we don’t know that they haven’t got returned to prison warrants” Chief Supt Miles said.

“They’ve got real reasons to want to be away from police and get away. They didn’t hang around to see if those officers were severely injured or not – it’s all about them, it’s a selfish act.

“They’re willing to do this to police, ram police cars, they’ll ram anyone. Anyone who’s in their way is a problem for them, and that certainly is concerning as well.”

Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Peter Miles said a comprehensive investigation was underway to track down those responsible. Picture: Alex Treacy.

The police all-terrain vehicle, worth up to $25,000 brand new, was written off in the crash. The Queensland Police Service is now sourcing a replacement to continue proactive patrols in dense bushland and isolated areas.

Chief Superintendent Miles said detectives from the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) are assisting with the search for the offending vehicle and are appealing for anyone who was in the Kingsholme area between 11am and 12pm on Sunday, and who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, to come forward.

“These officers were just out there doing their job, being proactive, keeping their community safe, and this is what happens, they end up spending the afternoon in hospital,” he said.

“There used to be that fine line where police weren’t targeted as much as members of the public, not anymore. It’s just a sad indictment of where we are with some members of the community, and that’s why we’re very keen to get them (offenders) into the watchhouse.”

Originally published as Police ATV destroyed, officers rammed in deliberate attack at Kingsholme