Mathew Peter Russell pleads guilty to speeding on Hume Motorway, crashing into parked cars
Police launched a massive search after a dangerous driver’s concerned partner found the man’s car crashed on the side of the road. In the end, it was the driver’s own footage that showed what happened.
Macarthur
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A man has admitted to speeding at more than double the limit on the Hume Motorway before crashing into three cars and fleeing the scene.
Mathew Peter Russell, 44, fronted Picton Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to driving recklessly or furiously in a speed or manner dangerous and three counts of not giving particulars to another driver.
Police facts state the Elderslie man was driving a silver Holden ute fitted with a dashcam at the front - a device capable of tracking the vehicle’s speed.
About 4am on July 13, Russell was driving home from Ingleburn when the footage shows him taking the Narellan Rd off-ramp at up to 173km/h in a 110km/h zone after overtaking another vehicle.
He then decreased to 160km/h in an 80km/h zone before decelerating to the speed limit.
Later, Russell drove towards the Higgins Ave roundabout on Liz Kernohan Dr, decelerating as he approached the roundabout before eventually beginning accelerating again.
The vehicle mounted the roundabout and Byrnes lost control before crashing into three parked cars, leaving significant denting and perforations in one car and major damage to the rear bumper of two other vehicles.
Byrnes fled the scene and abandoned his car near Jackson Cres.
About 9.30am, Byrnes’ partner saw his vehicle abandoned in a significantly damaged state with deployed airbags and called the police, who arrived shortly after and sighted the car, where she informed them she had not seen Byrnes.
With concerns for his safety, police co-ordinated a search of the nearby bush area alongside Polair and used geotargeting messaging and social media to try and find him.
Byrnes was later found about 2.30pm by police and taken to Campbelltown Hospital. He was charged the following day.
Russell will be sentenced at the same court next month.
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