Wyoming: Brent Powell sentenced for ramming police car during pursuit

A disqualified driver who was high on drugs when he rammed a police car three times during a pursuit — ending an officer’s career — has been sentenced. Read what he got here.

Brent Powell, 43, of Umina Beach, has pleaded guilty to ramming a police car three times during a pursuit at Wyoming on the NSW Central Coast on January 25, 2021. Picture: Brisbane Water Police/Facebook

A police officer had the “wind knocked out of him” and was forced to clamber into the passenger seat and out the other door when a car he was chasing turned and started ramming his patrol vehicle, a court has heard.

Appearing via video link from custody Brent Powell, 43, of Umina Beach, faced Gosford District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to several offences including using a car as an offensive weapon to resist arrest, failing to stop during a police pursuit, causing bodily harm by misconduct and intentionally damaging a police vehicle.

He also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving under the influence of drugs, possessing a shortened firearm, cultivating nine cannabis plants and possessing equipment used in the manufacturing of prohibited drugs.

The court heard a Senior Constable was patrolling Wyoming at 4.40am on January 25, 2021, when he saw a white Holden Commodore travelling about 90km/h in a 60km/h zone on Maidens Brush Rd.

He activated his lights and sirens but the Commodore sped off reaching speeds of more than 100km/h.

Powell was sentenced at Gosford District Court. Picture: Peter Clark

Judge Tanya Bright said an agreed set of facts states the Commodore stopped suddenly, started reversing towards the police car before doing a 180-degree turn and “rammed into the driver’s door”.

“The impact was heavy and knocked the wind out of the victim,” Judge Bright said.

“The offender then reversed his vehicle and once again drove forward ramming into the victim’s driver’s side door.

“Fearing he would be trapped in the vehicle and seriously injured or killed, the victim moved quickly across the passenger seat and jumped out of the passenger door of the police vehicle.

“He managed to get to his feet as the offender rammed the driver’s door of the police car a third time.”

The damaged police car. Picture: Brisbane Water Police/Facebook

Powell drove off but only made it about 300m away before abandoning the Commodore.

He was arrested nearby.

A search of his house uncovered nine cannabis plants, a sawn-off antique rifle and drug manufacturing equipment that had traces of meth and precursor chemicals on them.

Powell was taken to hospital where blood tests revealed he was under the influence of a cocktail of prohibited drugs at the time including meth, amphetamine, cannabis and LSD.

He later told a psychologist “I don’t even know what I was doing out at that time of night” and “I don’t even know why I didn’t stop”.

The court heard the officer was taken to hospital with soft tissue injuries but later developed anxiety and a “psychological injury” which led him to being medically discharged from the NSW Police Force.

In a letter to the officer, tendered to court, Powell “sincerely apologised” for ruining the officer’s career and said he wished he could have his time over.

Judge Bright said she found Powell was genuinely remorseful and suffered from substance abuse and other mental health disorders after being abused as a child.

She sentenced him to five and a half years jail with a non-parole period of two years and nine months.

With time served since his arrest on January 25, 2021 he will be eligible for release on October 24 this year.