Hume Highway: Kazem Elarja, 23, sentenced for carjacking, injuring owner and police chase

Exclusive: CCTV footage has been released of a carjacker sentenced last week for stealing a BMW worth $117k, and injuring the owner in the process. Watch the video as it happened.

A young man has been sentenced for what was described as a “reckless” string of offences, involving stealing a BMW and injuring the owner in the process – with the moment being captured on CCTV footage – as well as leading police on a high speed chase.

Kazem Elarja, 23, appeared via audiovisual link from custody at Goulburn District Court last Wednesday, having been previously charged for aggressive assault with intention to take/drive motor vehicle, police pursuit and resisting a police officer in the execution of his duty.

According to the documents tendered to the court, on December 23, 2020 the Granville resident reached out to the victim, Shann Chain, on carsales.com to express interest in buying his car.

The BMW next to victim Shann Chain, who spent a week in hospital after the assault. Picture: 9News

The Goulburn pharmacist had listed the F80 BMW M3 Competition for $117,000 and the two agreed to meet at the BP at Marulan that evening, documents state.

Mr Chain brought his friend with him.

Elarja, who was on his provisional licence, said he would be over an hour late.

He then continued to delay the meeting a number of times, saying he was having problems with traffic as well as having a mechanic friend available to attend.

Sometime around 11pm, Elarja approached Mr Chain, wearing a dark-coloured hooded jumper, a hat and a face mask, according to documents.

The BP in Marulan, where the carjacking and assault occurred. Picture: Google Maps

He was unaccompanied by a mechanic unlike what he said earlier.

The usual questions were asked about the car and some features were demonstrated.

But facts state Mr Chain’s friend started to become concerned about Elarja’s behaviour when he wasn’t able to operate the gears properly, and told the victim to get in the car as well, which he did.

They agreed on the price of $110,000 and Mr Chain got out of the passenger seat and started to walk behind the car towards the driver’s side door, which was open.

As he walked towards the door, CCTV footage, which was played in court, captured Elarja suddenly reversing the car at speed.

Mr Chain was dragged alongside the car and flung into the air, landing on the concrete around 20 metres away. Despite the impact with the victim, Elarja continued to drive away.

A still from the CCTV footage of victim Shann Chain lying on the floor in pain.

Documents state Mr Chain appeared to convulse on the floor and his friend came to his aid and called Triple-0, while a BP attendant performed first aid.

The pharmacist suffered several injuries, including lacerations to the rear of the skull, a swollen right eye, face and body abrasions, a fracture and a right subdural haemorrhage.

He was transferred to Canberra Hospital suffering a traumatic brain injury and was released a week later on New Year’s Eve, unable to work for six weeks.

After stealing the car, Elarja made his way onto the Hume Highway and around 12am police observed him driving close to 200km/h.

Upon activating their warning lights, he did not stop and a police pursuit was initiated.

Documents state that throughout the chase, he drove at high speeds of up to 230km/h, weaving in and out of traffic.

Police had to stop and start their pursuit due to the risks to the community.

They eventually located him in a breakdown lane on the highway, not activating warning lights this time.

Documents state that when officers yelled “police, get out of the car,” he looked startled and started resisting the police, twisting his arm in the process.

When being lifted in the caged police vehicle to Campbeltown Police Station, he made excuses for the carjacking, saying the owner would “get his money back” because “he has insurance.”

Documents state he also said he had no intention of hurting him.

When in custody, an officer remarked that it didn’t take long for him to travel from Marulan to Campbelltown, to which Elarja said “that car could do 280km/h.”

Kazem Elarja appeared at Goulburn District Court via audio visual link for his sentence. Picture: Niki Iliagoueva

His lawyer, Morgan Hunter said there was nothing sophisticated about the planning of stealing the BMW and that recklessly driving the vehicle away was impulsive.

Mr Hunter also said he was in a psychotic state when committing the string of crimes and that there has been a relationship with his drug use, mental health and offending.

“He has insight into his mental health and now has the support to manage it, which would inform his prospects of rehabilitation,” Mr Hunter said.

The court heard a doctor report assessed he is at a high risk of reoffending.

Judge Mark Williams sentenced Elarja to four years of jail backdated to July 7 and a non-parole period of two years and three months.

He is also disqualified from driving for four years from June 7, 2022.