21-year-old arrested after allegedly rolling vehicle in Richmond stolen from Hughenden

A 21-year-old man has been arrested on multiple charges after he allegedly rolled a stolen vehicle in a North Queensland town, infuriating locals. See the pictures.

The totalled stolen car in a holding yard after being towed away from the crash scene.

A 21-year-old man has been arrested with multiple charges after allegedly stealing a car from Hughenden and crashing it in Richmond over the weekend.

In a statement released late on Sunday night, Queensland Police confirmed that a man was caught and arrested after rolling the vehicle.

“He was also involved in several other incidents in Hughenden late on Friday night and early Saturday morning,” a QPS spokesman said.

The alleged offender was charged with three counts of unlawfully entering premises, two counts of wilful damage and breach of bail, along with single counts of escape lawful custody, contravene DV, assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawful use of motor vehicle, UIL, dangerous driving and unlicensed driving.

Bail was refused and he was transferred to Townsville to appear in court.

The car was initially reported stolen from a Moran St, Hughenden address on Friday evening.

By 1.20am, the driver and sole occupant had allegedly totalled the car at Goldring and Clayton St, Richmond – right around the corner from the Richmond Police Station.

A witness who was nearby when the stolen car crashed said the driver allegedly “clipped a tree” and rolled for several metres, triggering all the airbags.

The witness said the driver seemed to be OK, able to walk, with only cuts to his hands.

They believed the driver of the allegedly stolen vehicle was trying to make it to Mount Isa.

The car’s Hughenden-based owner Maree Christensen, who runs the SPAR grocery store, said she didn’t hear anything when the car was stolen, and her “dog didn’t even really bark”.

The totalled stolen car in a holding yard after being towed away from the crash scene.

“The police woke me up at 3am this morning knocking on the door,” she said.

“They said when was the last time you’ve seen your car?”

Cameras picked up the car being stolen.

“It was reversing up the driveway at basically 1am,” she said.

“It must’ve sped out to Richmond.”

A search of their house revealed the thief had also allegedly taken a bottle of rum and some JD tins from the family’s outside fridge.

“This was after he tried to get into the store, but it’s all locked,” Ms Christensen said.

“He went from the shop up onto our veranda which is right next door.”

The shop owner said when she spoke with police, they told her they were still “finding things out” about the man’s crime spree as people woke up and discovered items missing.

Tow truck driver Luke Wharton attended the crash scene.

“It was smashed but he got out of it all right,” Mr Wharton said.

“Appeared only a bit of skin off his knuckles. I don’t know how he got out honestly. Most people wouldn’t have survived that.”

Flinders Shire Council mayor Kate Peddle said Hughenden was “so peaceful and safe” and it was sad that people “couldn’t trust in our fellow man” anymore.

“(This) attacks the fabric of our mentality in small towns,” she said.

“The government has to do something, not just talk but genuinely take action.”

Originally published as 21-year-old arrested after allegedly rolling vehicle in Richmond stolen from Hughenden