Golden Beach boat drama: Dean Robert Richards charged

A man will remain in custody after he was slapped with 20 charges after he allegedly crashed a car through the front of a Sunshine Coast home before he boarded a vessel during a tense standoff with specialist police.

A man has been slapped with 20 charges after he allegedly crashed a car through the front of a Sunshine Coast home before he boarded a vessel during a tense standoff with specialist police.

Dean Robert Richards surrendered himself at 10.30am Monday after a five-hour long ordeal.

Specialist police were called to the Caloundra Power Boat Club at Golden Beach Monday morning after reports a man had stolen a car belonging to a senior police officer and crashed it through a house in Anning Ave about 5.35am, before fleeing to the water.

Senior Sergeant John Van Egmond said it was not a police officer’s car - but a privately owned Ford Ranger.

A man has surrendered himself to police following a boat standoff on the Sunshine Coast after he allegedly crashed a car through a home. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“It was a private vehicle parked at a private address,” he said.

“About 5.30am this (Monday) morning police became aware of a car being stolen from a house at Wurtulla.

“That vehicle sped down the Nicklin Way and into the Golden Beach/Pelican Waters area where it’s collided with a house and was embedded in the house.

“The owners of the house confronted the male driver of the vehicle. There was a short struggle in the house and subsequently the male fled down to the Power Boat Club.

“That 28-year-old male then gained entry to a boat, barricaded himself in the boat, (allegedly) armed himself with some knives and poured petrol on himself.”

The man was placed on a stretcher. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Police arrived on the scene shortly after and commenced negotiations with Mr Richards.

By 10.30am the man had surrendered himself to police and was taken into custody.

“He was very elevated and very agitated,” Senior Sergeant Van Egmond said.

“He’s uninjured.

“He’s well known to police.”

The 28-year-old Caboolture man has been charged with 20 offences, including four counts of enter premises and commit, four counts of wilful damage, and one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and obstruct police.

He had his matter mentioned in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 2 and was represented by defence lawyer Luke Bull.

Mr Richards did not appear in person and has not entered any pleas.

Mr Bull told the court his client has not applied for bail and asked for the matter to be adjourned in order to case conference.

Police negotiate with the man. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist adjourned the matter to August 6.

On Monday, one of the owners of the house was spotted on the scene in tears.

The couple who owned the home which was destroyed had purchased the property about six months ago and had moved over from New Zealand less than a year ago.

The husband and wife own a local business – Ecocrete Surfacing.

The wife said the moment the ute went through the front of their home was like “waking up to a bomb going off”.

The man was struggling with police. Picture: Patrick Woods.

She, her husband, and her 79-year-old mother were home at the time.

She couldn’t believe he got out of the car and said her first response was to ask him if he was okay.

But then he took off. The husband chased him down the road for quite some time.

The pair said he was yelling, swearing, carrying on and making no sense.

On the scene she said “my heart bleeds for him I hope he’s okay … he’s clearly very unwell”.

The man was surrounded by police as he was taken to a waiting ambulance after he was convinced to come from the boat he was holed up in.

He was seen to be highly agitated and yelling at those around him.

The Ford Ranger went straight through the front of the house. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Originally published as Golden Beach boat drama: Dean Robert Richards charged