Ali Hasan breached lockdown, led police on chase from Sydney to Berrima

Multiple cop cars chased a man from a suburb in hard lockdown doing speeds between 35km/h and 100km/h after he sideswiped a truck and swerved across a highway from Sydney to the Southern Highlands.

A young father has been banned from driving after he led police on a pursuit from Sydney to the Southern Highlands, breaching public health orders and crashing into a tree.

Ali Hasan, 33, crashed his car into a heavy vehicle and barrier on the Hume Hwy on August 12 after leading police on a chase from Campbelltown to Berrima.

The Chester Hill man appeared at Campbelltown Local Court via lawyer Fadi Abbas on Tuesday, where he formally entered pleas of guilty to police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, and not comply with noticed direction re Covid-19.

According to documents tendered to the court, Hasan had been driving a white Mitsubishi Lancer south on the highway about 9.15pm August 12, travelling in front of a B-double truck.

Ali Hasan allegedly lead police down the Hume Highway from Campbelltown to Berrima.

Hasan slowed his speed suddenly while directly in front of the truck, causing it to “swerve violently to the left in order to avoid a serious impact”, according to court documents.

However, the A trailer and B trailer both impacted with the side of Hasan’s Mitsubishi, resulting in a side-swipe.

Immediately after the impact, Hasan accelerated and continued to drive south down the highway, without stopping to give assistance or exchange details with the truck driver.

Police were contacted and caught up with Hasan south of the Narellan Rd interchange on the highway.

According to court documents, police used their lights and sirens to signal to the 33-year-old and pull him over, but he failed to stop and initiated a pursuit.

Multiple police vehicles began to follow with their warning lights and sirens on as Hasan travelled south down the highway at varying speeds between 35km/h and 100km/h.

As he drove, Hasan also veered the car across all three lanes of traffic, inclusive of breakdown lanes and the unsealed median strip in the centre of the motorway, according to court documents.

“On multiple occasions the accused narrowly avoided impacting with the railing on the side shoulder of the motorway and the vegetation on the right shoulder,” court documents state.

“The manner of driving resulted in a significantly increased risk of a motor vehicle collision occurring where death and/or serious injury was likely to occur.”

A short distance north of the overpass where Old Mandemar Rd at Berrima crosses underneath the highway, Hasan drove the car to the right, where he left the road and travelled along the unsealed median strip before crashing into a tree, according to court documents.

Ali Hasan was granted bail at Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday.

Police took Hasan out of the car where he was arrested and taken to Bowral Hospital for medical treatment.

In addition to the driving offences, he also breached the stay-at-home requirements of the current health orders, with his movements restricted to the Local Government Area of Bankstown.

However according to court documents, he had been at a friend’s house in Liverpool for “tea”.

The 33-year-old was released on bail the day after the pursuit, where his barrister argued there was a high-risk of catching Covid-19 in prison and told the court Hasan needed to care for his father who has a rare blood condition.

Magistrate Breton said Hasan’s father “wasn’t much concern of him” during the alleged offending as the 33-year-old was “outside the restrictions of the public health orders”.

“He was having tea with a friend at Liverpool, which is hardly demonstrative of compliance, there was no care for those living in the eight LGA’s of concern,” Magistrate Breton said.

“He was outside the 5km of his home without reason or authorisation.”

Magistrate Breton told the court this is not the first time Hasan has been charged for breaching the public health order, but approved strict conditional bail with a surety of $5000.

Hasan pleaded guilty to all three charges on Tuesday, with Mr Abbas telling the court he was looking to complete a merit program.

Mr Abbas told the court there is likely to be a fourth charge laid relating to driving under the influence.

The 33-year-old will face court for sentence next month.