Gold Coast crime: Alleged Chevron Island Bridge jump, Coolangatta cop ram, DUI crashes in cops’ sights

Local law enforcement are pursuing a daredevil jump from a moving car off a bridge, two alleged DUI prangs, and a cornered driver in a stolen SUV accused of ramming police units in an escape bid.

An alleged DUI crash at Henry Cotton Dr, Parkwood, on Saturday morning. Picture: 9News Gold Coast

Gold Coast police say the net is closing in on a wannabe stuntman who launched himself off a moving car into the waters of the Nerang River, one of a number of vehicular incidents that has caught the eye of law enforcement in recent days.

Police say they were alerted to the video, which depicts a shirtless man springboard off a moving vehicle travelling on Thomas Dr at Chevron Island, Bundall, via media inquiries.

The video, whose date of capture is not immediately clear, is understood to have been circulated by others, including a well-known Gold Coast influencer. It’s believed to have now been deleted.

On Monday, Superintendent Brett Jackson said the thing about seeking infamy via social media is that you leave a hard trail of evidence for cops to follow.

Gold Coast police say a man captured on video recently jumping from a moving car into the Nerang River off a Chevron Island bridge, and his driver, can expect a knock on the door. Picture: 9News Gold Coast

“We have identified the persons involved in that incident,” he said.

“Fortunately they leave all that information out there for us to collect on social media.

“We will be coming to knock on your door in the near future and that sort of behaviour just to get some likes is extremely dangerous and just not what our community expects.

“It’s a dangerous, high-risk activity and a lot of things could have went wrong, ranging from the male person falling from the vehicle which was travelling; the driver of the vehicle having to stop suddenly causing them to fall; and the fact [he] leapt off a bridge not knowing what was below, whether it was a boat travelling below or whether there was a foundation of the pylons below.”

Gold Coast police say a man captured on video recently jumping from a moving car into the Nerang River off a Chevron Island bridge, and his driver, can expect a knock on the door. Picture: 9News Gold Coast

Superintendent Jackson said the stuntman could be charged with dangerous high-risk activity, while the driver could be held liable for dangerous operation of a vehicle.

He said he had no information on whether the stunt was connected to a similar video posted in mid 2024 by a self-styled Gold Coast “athlete” known as Mad Jonny, in which the man jumped from a moving car off a bridge over Currumbin Creek.

Two unrelated single-vehicle crashes, both involving suspected intoxicated drivers, also caught the eye of Gold Coast police in recent days.

Superintendent Jackson said the two crashes occurred on Saturday morning.

At North St, Southport, a Toyota Corolla being driven by a 32-year-old man struck a power pole, while at Henry Cotton Dr, Parkwood, a black Toyota HiLux being driven by a 25-year-old man collided with a fence.

An alleged DUI crash at Henry Cotton Dr, Parkwood, on Saturday morning. Picture: 9News Gold Coast

“Both of those drivers were located by police [and] taken to hospital, where blood was extracted for testing,” Superintendent Jackson said.

“Both drivers allegedly exhibited behaviour consistent with being under the influence of alcohol or [a] drug.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday about 6.20am, a stolen Mitsubishi ASX cornered by police in an undercover car park on Griffith St, Coolangatta, rammed officers’ vehicles in a bid to escape, Superintendent Jackson alleged.

The man was apprehended and charged with offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driver, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or a drug.

He was expected to face Southport Magistrates Court on Monday.

Originally published as Gold Coast crime: Alleged Chevron Island Bridge jump, Coolangatta cop ram, DUI crashes in cops’ sights