Jordan Cheteucuti: Casino man faces charges after alleged stolen car chase

A young Casino father-to-be has been granted bail despite the stolen car he was a passenger in “only just missing” police.

An apprentice mechanic who was a passenger in an allegedly stolen car that ran at police in a wild Kyogle chase has won his bail bid.

Casino man Jordan Cheteucuti, 24, appeared before Lismore Local Court on Monday (August 29) after being involved in the wild car chase as a passenger over the weekend.

The court heard Cheteucuti pleaded guilty to be carried in a stolen car, carrying a cutting weapon upon apprehension and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen.

A plea of not guilty was also entered to a charge of receiving a stolen red Holden Astra from Beaudesert back in January.

Cheteucuti and a teen co-accused were first spotted driving away in a stolen white Toyota HiLux ute by the vehicle’s owner about 4am on Friday, according to court documents.

The Goonellabah owner chased the ute and smashed the window in an attempt to stop the getaway but they took off and were later seen by police along Summerland Way at Kyogle.

Police then began a chase of the vehicle and the ute was driven at speeds greater than the limit, at one point heading towards Casino reaching 150kph in a 100 zone, the court documents state.

Outside of Casino, police deployed road spikes but they were unsuccessful as Cheteucuti’s co-accused drove onto the wrong side of the road, the facts state.

Later that night, unmarked police saw the ute outside of Kyogle near Fawcett Plain and left their car to attempt an arrest.

However, the ute accelerated harshly, driving towards the officers who had to take evasive action to avoid being hit, the court documents state.

Police were again alerted to the ute, which was then in Roseberry, by witnesses who saw the two co-accused run towards the river, the court documents state.

Police requested dogs and rescue drones on scene to search for the pair but they could not be located, the facts state.

However, in the early hours of Saturday, police sighted the pair exit a car in Kyogle, near the Summerland Way and Anzac Drive intersection.

While his co-accused ran from the scene, Cheteucuti was arrested and allegedly found with a pocket knife and $25 Coles gift card in his possession.

Upon interview, Cheteucuti initially denied being in the car, before saying he wasn’t the driver, according to court documents.

He was unable to tell police where he purchased the gift card or provide receipts before stating “just charge me with it then”, the court documents state.

Solicitor Belinda O’Dwyer told the court on Monday Cheteucuti’s partner was pregnant and having her first ultrasound this week which he’s “quite keen to be out for”.

She said Cheteucuti had a “lengthy” criminal history but had been diagnosed with bipolar and schizophrenia last time in custody, changing his attitude.

“He has been trying very hard this time out,” she said.

The NSW Police Prosecutor said Cheteucuti would prove to be an unacceptable risk if granted bail.

She said the stolen car veered towards towards police “only just missing them”.

“I note he had no thought for his family at the time of committing these offences,” Sergeant Hogan said.

Magistrate Jeff Linden granted bail on a number of conditions, including Cheteucuti report to Casino police daily, abide by a 6pm-7am curfew, not go near his co-accused and put in place a $500 surety.

He adjourned the matters to October 4 and a sentencing assessment report was ordered.