Daniel Baxter: Man faces court following alleged brazen police pursuits

A man who was arrested following three alleged police pursuits in a stolen car has been denied bail at the ACT Magistrates Court.

A man who was arrested following multiple alleged brazen daytime police pursuits in a stolen car has fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on driving and weapons charges.

Scullin man Daniel Jol Baxter, 34, is facing three counts of failing to stop for police, two counts of driving with prescribed drugs, aggravated/furious/reckless dangerous driving, driving a motor vehicle without consent and possessing ammunition generally.

Mr Baxter appeared in court via video link and did not enter any pleas but made a bid for bail.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said Baxter’s alleged actions, especially dangerous driving near a children’s playground, posed “too great” a risk to the community and denied him bail.

Mr Baxter is remanded in custody until he appears in court again on March 18.

According to the statement of facts tendered to the court police allegedly spotted the defendant speeding in a Volkswagen Golf with NSW plates at 12.55pm on Monday on Ginninderra Dr, Charnwood.

Police discovered the car had been reported stolen by its owners on February 24.

Officers soon turned on sirens and attempted to get the driver to stop however the car mounted a gutter and drove through a red light to evade police.

Daniel Baxter is remanded in custody after being charged with driving and weapons charges.

At 1.15pm Mr Baxter was allegedly spotted by police again on Copland Dr, Spence, and another pursuit began,

Police claim the driver turned left onto Baddeley Crescent and was recorded driving at 100km per hour in a 50 zone.

The pursuit continued until the driver reached the speed of 120km on Kingsford Smith Dr, in a 70 zone, after police determined it was not safe to continue the chase.

According to court documents Mr Baxter was spotted on Copland Dr again at 1.29pm and a third pursuit with police commenced.

Police allege the driver continued on Badenoch St, then turned right into Gollan St where the Golf mounted a kerb.

At this point the driver continued to drive at speed along a shared path near a children’s playground according to court documents.

Police stopped pursuing the car however they successfully deployed tyre deflation devices at the intersection of Kingsford Smith Dr and Spalding St.

Despite the tyres being deflated the driver of the Golf continued to drive away from police.

The far was found at a nearby cul-de-sac with its driver on the run.

Mr Baxter was eventually located after entering the backyard of one of the residents.

After being located police allege the driver jumped the fences of multiple homes to evade arrest, at one point dropping his backpack.

Following his eventual arrest the defendant tested positive to a prescribed drug and police found a single bullet in Mr Baxter’s backpack.