M1 police pursuit: Berkeley Vale man blames dog for fleeing police
A Berkeley Vale roof tiler who led police on a high speed chase from Bar Point to Berkeley Vale was sent to jail this week, and you’ll never guess his excuse for fleeing police.
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A Berkeley Vale roof tiler who led police on a high speed chase from Bar Point to Berkeley Vale said he needed to get his dog home.
Craig Stephens, 40, was sentenced to 20 months jail with a non-parole period of 14 months, and had his licence disqualified for five years, at Wyong Local Court yesterday.
Stephens faced five charges for the night of May 6 2019, when he was pursued by police for 46km.
He pleaded guilty to failing to stop during a police pursuit and driving recklessly and disqualified, unlawfully possessing number plates and something that resembled a number plate and resisting an officer.
Facts tendered to the court revealed the pursuit started on the M1 at Bar Point just after 8pm when police attempted to pull a white 2008 Holden Commodore over for a breath test and licence check.
When he failed to stop, police deployed road spikes in the roadworks zone through Kariong, however the pursuit continued reaching speeds of 120km/h in the 80km/h zone with the car fishtailing across the road on the rims of its wheels and barely avoiding the Armco railings.
A second set of road spikes were put up at Ourimbah and Stephens once again flew across them, despite his disintegrated wheels, before exiting at Tuggerah and heading along Wyong Rd with a top speed of 130km/h.
He continued to Berkeley Vale where local residents took video as he headed down Pindarri Ave, Kerry Crescent and finally stopped in Erin Avenue.
The facts stated he attempted to run inside before being tackled and “violently resisted being arrested” by kicking out.
Police found two sets of number plates in the car, one cancelled and the other homemade.
There was also a dog in the car, and Stephens indicated the reason for his actions was that hew “wished to get his dog home”.
Stephens has a history of driving offences dating back to 1995, and short stints in jail. He will be eligible for release in July 2020.
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