Jaiden Dale Gardner, Rebecca Keys charged after police officer injured in Cooma

Three people have been arrested and two charged, after allegedly stealing a ute before hitting a police officer and father-of-five with an Audi, leaving him lying lifeless on the Monaro Highway.

Three people have been arrested, two of them charged, after a police officer and father-of-five was allegedly hit by a car while on duty and left with “horrific injuries”, after a pursuit with a stolen vehicle.

Following extensive investigations by Strikeforce Varga, three people were arrested in the ACT, with two of them extradited to NSW and charged over the August 30 incident just outside of Cooma.

Investigators have charged three people following an investigation into a crash that left a police officer with serious head injuries. Picture: NSW Police

An Audi was found burnt out near Cooma after a police officer was hit. Picture: NSW Police

Police were chasing a stolen ute at about 8.20pm on the Monaro Highway at Nimmitabel shortly before a vehicle made impact with the officer.

The ute stopped, and the driver allegedly got out of the car and fled, pursued by the male officer on foot.

Police claim the driver then got into an Audi, which then allegedly collided with the officer, who sustained significant head injuries.

A strike force was formed and police launched a month-long investigation which culminated in three arrests on Thursday.

Monaro Police District Commander Superintendent John Klepczarek said on Friday, there were concerns the male officer would not survive the collision as he lay lifeless on the roadway, but he had since returned home.

Police pounced on 30-year-old John McCracken outside a Canberra court just after 9.30am, before executing search warrants at two ACT homes.

Jaiden Dale Gardner, 26, was arrested at a unit on Novar Street, Yarralumla, about 10.20am and shortly after, 43-year-old Rebecca Keys was arrested at a home in Gerogery Place, O’Malley, the same day.

Detectives seized bank cards, electronic devices and clothing relevant to the investigation.

The trio were taken to Canberra City Police Station, before appearing in ACT Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where Mr McCracken and Ms Keys were extradited to NSW.

All three have been charged with stealing a motor vehicle and using that motor vehicle to inflict serious injury toward a police officer.

While Mr Gardner remains in the ACT, in relation to an unrelated matter still before the ACT’s court.

The three were arrested in the ACT on Thursday. Picture: NSW Police

Two of the three have been extradited to NSW to face charges. Picture: NSW Police

However, Supt Klepczarek said the officer had a “long way to go” in his recovery, and could not confirm if he would be able to return to full frontline duties in the police force.

Supt Klepczarek told the media on Friday, the scene of the alleged crime was “horrific” and his female work partner on the night was “traumatised” by what she witnessed.

“There was at times fears that he (the officer) may not have made it,” he said.

“The female officer who was his partner on the night, she suffered quite significant physiological trauma. To be holding a fellow police officer in the dark while he was lifeless at the time, she was traumatised.

“The head injuries he sustained were quite significant. Fortunately, the officer is back at home in good spirits but he is not the same officer that went to work that day, and that is why police were so passionate and dedicated to catch these people.”

He said the Cooma police network was “close” and they all knew each other, and each others families.

But it wasn’t the officer’s family by his side in the Canberra Hospital following the incident, with Covid restrictions denying them entry into the ACT. It was Supt Klepczarek who “held his hand” and “passed on messages from his wife” as his condition remained unclear.

“To be the only person to be able to be with him, and passing on messaging from his wife and holding his hand to make sure that he hung in there, was quite draining,” he said.

“As a commander is it something like this you never want to be involved in. And what was a little bit more stressful and made it more emotional was that at that time, with covid, the family weren’t allowed to spend time with him when there was fears of his health.

“But to have him back home and the joy that his wife and five kids has is great news, but he has a long way to go.”

Informing the injured officer of the arrests yesterday, Supt Klepczarek said the officer’s spirit was “high”, adding it gave him “a bit of closure”.