Police allege 21yo man ‘driving recklessly’ in Queenstown

Police are warning that hoons could lose their precious vehicles as they lay charges overnight for an alleged offender in the state’s west. The latest:

Tasmania Police car

For the latest, follow The Beat, the Mercury’s live breaking news blog with the latest traffic, police, fire and ambulance news across the state.

Man charged over alleged Queenstown hooning incident

9.45am: A 21-year-old man has had his vehicle seized after police laid charges over a hooning incident in the state’s west on Wednesday night.

Tasmania Police allege that a blue Ford Falcon was being driven recklessly in Queenstown during the night.

Police also allege the driver evaded police when officers attempted to intercept the car.

The man was later arrested near Donaghys Hill where police state he allegedly threatened officers.

The driver was charged with several offences, including hooning and offences against police.

His vehicle has been seized by police, with Acting Sergeant Brad Coulson stating an application has been made to have it permanently confiscated.

“This sort of driving behaviour is reckless and it puts innocent people at risk,” he said.

“Police are committed to keeping our roads as safe as possible, and hoons should be warned that this type of behaviour can lead to loss of licence, vehicle confiscation and significant fines.”

Anyone who witnessed or has dashcam footage of a blue Ford Falcon station wagon being driven in a reckless manner around Queenstown on Wednesday evening is asked to contact Queenstown Police on 131 444.

Police / Crime / file / generic / Tasmanian Police / Tasmania Police Emergency Services / Law. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Man accused of stealing vehicles he takes for test drive

1.20pm: Police officers allege a 22-year-old man has arranged to test drive vehicles listed for sale via online marketplaces and hasn’t returned them to their owner.

Officers have charged the Warrane man with a number of offences including motor vehicle stealing after a series of motorcycle thefts over the past two weeks.

Police urged sellers to exercise caution and to request identification and contact information, accompany potential buyers on test drives, install a GPS tracking device and high-quality locks and chains to deter theft when motorcycles are parked.

If anyone has information regarding motorcycle thefts, they are urged to contact Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000.

P-plater caught 60km/h over the limit on Tasman Hwy

November 20, 11.15am: A motorcyclist still on their P-plates was allegedly caught driving 60km/h over the limit on the Tasman Highway, police allege.

Officers report detecting the teenager travelling at 120km/h in a 60km/h signposted area at Midway Point on Tuesday night.

Inspector Kathy Bennett said it was disappointing road users continued to place themselves and others at risk by travelling at such high speeds.

“This is another example of poor driver behaviour and could have easily resulted in serious injury or tragedy to the inexperienced provisional rider or other road users,” she said.

Police say the motorcycle was seized for 28 days and he now faces being fined $1140.00 and disqualified from driving for up to 4 months.

Another P-plater in Penguin was detected travelling 74/km/h over the limit on the Bass Highway.

Police intercepted the 21-year-old driver in his blue Ford Falcon XR6 at around 6.50pm on Tuesday after catching it travelling at 174km/h in a 100km/h zone.

The driver allegedly became abusive towards police and was arrested at the scene, later charged with multiple traffic-related offences including excessive speeding, failing to display P-plates, as well as abusive language to police.

Northern Tasmanian man charged over alleged evade incident

19 November, 10am: A northern Tasmanian man who left the scene of an altercation and failed to stop for police has been charged.

Tasmanian police were called to an altercation between a 19-year-old Bridgenorth driver and another driver on the West Tamar Highway at Legana on Sunday around 1.15pm.

The Bridgenorth man then left the scene when police arrived and allegedly failed to stop.

He has been charged with evading police, common assault, and destroying property and bailed to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court early next year.

Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Tasmania Police have charged a 19-year-old driver after they were called to a disagreement between two motorists on the West Tamar Highway. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

51yo driver nabbed five times the legal limit, police say

18 November, 12pm: A woman allegedly driving more than five times the legal limit was nabbed by police in the state’s Northern Midlands yesterday.

Tasmania Police charged the 51-year-old Mangalore woman after she was pulled over on the Midland Highway at Cleveland at 4pm on Sunday for a random breath test.

Police say she returned a reading of 0.255 and was charged with exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit and bailed to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court in January.

Tasmania Police acting inspector Martin Parker said driving while under the influence of alcohol was unacceptable.

“This driver was more than five times the legal limit, and put not only herself in danger, but other road users,” he said.

“Our members will continue to conduct random breath tests to ensure all motorists can use our roads safely.”

Suspicious man charged with loitering around children.

17 November, 2:30pm: Police have charged a 55-year-old man with loitering near children after an incident at a popular children’s playground on Saturday.

Authorities received reports of a suspicious male in the area at Riverbend Park in Inveresk, who was later arrested and charged.

Anyone with information can anonymously report it to Crime Stoppers on 131 000.

Man stabbed in Salamanca

17 November, 11:30: A man was rushed to hospital after he was stabbed in the early hours of this morning in Salamanca.

Police say the incident occurred at 1am on Salamanca Lawns, opposite Cargo bar.

A man has been taken into custody over the incident; at this stage police have not advised if any charges have been laid.

Anyone with information is urged to come forward.

Father and son on way to Toy Run nabbed speeding

November 17, 8:45am: A North-West father and son headed for the annual Toy Run have been caught riding at high speed and had their motorcycles confiscated.

A police motorcyclist detected the son, aged in his 20s, accelerating up to 200km/h on a red Ducati motorcycle followed by his father, aged in his 50s, on a silver Suzuki in the Central Highlands.

Acting Sergeant Chris Rockliff of northern road policing services said the officer attempted to intercept the pair who failed to stop and continued on towards Bothwell.

He said the pair were found in about 15 minutes later in the township of Bothwell.

As a result, the father and son will appear in court together at a later date and their bikes confiscated for a period of time.

father and son nabbed for speeding after the toy run. Image: Tasmania Police.

“Riding at such extreme speed is inherently dangerous, even for a short period of time,” A/Sgt Rockliff said.

“There is no walking away from a crash at that speed.

“Whilst I encourage people to get out and participate in the Toy Run, ride within your limits and the law.

“Wear appropriate protective clothing whilst riding; a T-shirt and trousers with worn-out knees offer no protection from the bitumen should you come off.

“And if you are detected committing an offence pull over. There is no escaping the next officer down the road. Evading police is a serious charge.”

Another rider was caught travelling at 153km/h and car driver at 147km/h in the same area.

Police say anyone detected speeding at more than 37km/h over the limit can face an automatic licence suspension.

Any vehicle detected travelling at 45km/h or more in excess of the limit is liable for clamping or confiscation. The same applies for any vehicle which evades police.

The father and son will appear in court at a later date.

The 45th annual Toy Run held on Saturday attracted 1500 riders who roared from Glenorchy to Salamanca Place.

Seal blocks road on Tasman Peninsula

November 16, 7.50am:Police are managing traffic at Nubeena Rd, Premaydena after a seal has blocked the road.

Officers have asked motorists to approach the area with caution as they are currently in attendance.

Elsewhere, the left lane of Goodwood Rd is closed after a two vehicle crash at Dowsings Point, police confirm.

The lane travelling towards Glenorchy will remain closed until the scene is cleared.

Officers say no serious injuries have been reported.

Young man allegedly used firearm to shoot vehicle

November 15, 11am: Police believe a 20-year-old George Town man allegedly used a firearm to shoot at a vehicle.

Officers say they responded to reports of the incident that left another man inside the vehicle uninjured about 1pm on Thursday.

Police report attending a George Town home and arresting the young man.

Officers say a search that followed the arrest at the address allegedly found a homemade pistol, a second homemade firearm, firearm parts, ammunition and quantities of methylamphetamine.

The George Town man was charged with multiple offences including reckless discharge a firearm, aggravated assault, reckless driving, driving unlicensed, minor drug offences, and multiple other firearms-related offences, police say.

He is set to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court this morning.

P-plater charged after drunken Bass Highway crash

A 21-year-old Devonport P-plater with a blood alcohol concentration almost three times the fully-licensed legal limit has been charged following a Wednesday night crash.

Police and emergency services were called to the Bass Highway at Devonport at 9.50pm on Wednesday after reports of a two-vehicle crash.

Initial police investigations suggest the P-plater was behind the wheel of an Isuzu Dmax ute and overtaking a Suzuki Jimny at speed when the vehicles collided.

Police suspect the ute lost control and hit the shoulder of the highway, with the Suzuki crashing into the rear of the ute.

The occupants of the Suzuki, a woman and child, were taken to the Mersey Community Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

The ute driver and a passenger left the scene before police arrived.

Police then attended a Devonport address associated with the ute driver and took him to the Devonport Police Station where he returned a breath analysis reading of 0.139.

A zero blood alcohol limit applies to all provisional license holders.

He was immediately disqualified from driving for 12 months, and charged with drink driving, and being a driver involved in a crash and failing to stop and was bailed to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court in February.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage, or who witnessed a white Pajero in the vicinity immediately prior to the crash, should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.

Water leak closes lane on two CBD streets at peak hour

November 12, 3.50pm: Liverpool St will be down to one lane while Campbell St will be reduced from four to three while a water main is repaired.

In a statement, a TasWater spokesperson said the repairs at the three-way junction wouldn’t be finished until around 7.30pm.

They said crews were called to the leak after water was spotted on the road.

The incident is expected to cause traffic congestion in Hobart’s CBD.

Police nab thousands of drivers

In Tasmania’s North West alone, thousands of drivers have been nabbed speeding, drink or drug driving or driving without a licence, since January this year.

In the past week, there were ten drivers charged after a targeted patrol operation.

“The behaviour is unacceptable and endangers not only the driver, but all road users,” Tasmania Police inspector Adam Spencer said. .

“We will not tolerate it and Tasmania Police will continue to take strong action statewide to ensure those disobeying the road rules and putting lives at risk will be held accountable.

“Road safety is about prevention, and we will continue to undertake proactive patrols – both covert and high-visibility – and focus on educating drivers on safe behaviour.”

Inspector Spencer said since January there were 986 drink or drug drivers and 802 people driving without a licence or while disqualified and 3524 caught speeding drivers.

He said 134 of those were going more than 30km/h over the limit.

Last week’s results

• 39-year-old Claude Road man charged after allegedly driving while disqualified in Queenstown and refusing to undertake breath testing.

• 26-year-old Devonport woman charged after allegedly driving while disqualified.

• 39-year-old Rosebery man charged for allegedly evading police, speeding and driving without headlights in Wynyard.

• 38-year-old Devonport woman accused of driving while disqualified in Devonport.

• 35-year-old Sheffield woman allegedly caught driving in Railton and tested positive for methamphetamine.

• 42-year-old Wynyard man charged after he was allegedly caught drink driving in Somerset returning a reading of 0.094. He was arrested and charged.

• 41-year-old Shorewell Park man allegedly caught drink driving in Burnie returning a reading of 0.097.

• 26-year-old Penguin man and 25-year-old woman charged with multiple motor vehicle stealing, stealing, evade police, drug matters, breaches of bail, and driving while unlicensed offences.

• 29-year-old Devonport woman allegedly caught driving while disqualified in Ambleside.

• 47-year-old Ulverstone woman allegedly caught driving while disqualified in East Devonport.

Originally published as Police allege 21yo man ‘driving recklessly’ in Queenstown