Bobbielee Margaret Dodd jailed for wild police pursuit in stolen car from Toowoomba to Ipswich that ended in serious crash

A driver high on meth led police on a wild pursuit in a stolen car from Charlton to Ipswich, speeding through red lights on the wrong side of the road. See how it all ended.

High on ice and behind the wheel of a stolen car, a Toowoomba woman led police on a wild pursuit from Charlton to Ipswich that came to an end after the vehicle’s tyres were spiked and she crashed into an innocent bystander’s car.

Bobbielee Margaret Dodd was at a service station in Charlton on the morning of January 9, 2022, and while putting petrol in the stolen vehicle saw police approaching.

Getting back in the car, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on Monday the 24-year-old sped away from the service station, running a red light and swerving between lanes on the Warrego Highway.

Bobbielee Margaret Dodd, 24, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on September 26, 2022 to leading police on a pursuit from Charlton to Ipswich on January 9, 2022.

Attempting to pursue the vehicle, prosecutor Cameron Francis said police were forced to abandon the chase as Dodd continued to speed through red lights towards Toowoomba.

The court was told police continued to track the vehicle, and about 4.48pm Dodd was spotted at Blacksoil, before a police helicopter followed the vehicle at Goodna.

Continuing to swerve through traffic at speed, the court was told police successfully deployed road spikes on the Ipswich Motorway, taking out Dodd’s tyres, forcing her off the busy road.

Mr Francis said the pursuit continued with Dodd trying to drive on the rims of the vehicle before she lost control, drove over a pedestrian island and into oncoming traffic, crashing into another vehicle head-on.

Dodd then tried to flee on foot before she was apprehended by police a short distance away.

A search of the stolen vehicle uncovered a trove of pilfered goods including bank cards, house and vehicle keys and a handbag.

Bobbielee Margaret Dodd, 24, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on September 26, 2022 to leading police on a pursuit from Charlton to Ipswich on January 9, 2022.

Mr Francis said following her arrest Dodd was taken to hospital where a blood sample returned a positive reading to methylamphetamine.

In total Dodd pleaded guilty to 19 offences, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected, evasion, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, receiving tainted property and driving without a licence.

Dodd’s solicitor Brad Skuse said his client was “quickly losing the benefit of youth”, and that since reaching the age of 18 had spent roughly half her life incarcerated.

Mr Skuse submitted that while being held on remand since January his client had completed multiple drug rehabilitation courses, and it was her intention to move away from Toowoomba to “remove herself from her peers and influences that contribute to her offending”.

Describing Dodd’s conduct as “putting innocent road users at risk”, magistrate Louise Shephard said the police pursuit was aggravated by the fact she crashed into a member of the public while trying to flee from police.

Declaring 263 days of pre-sentence custody as time served, Dodd was jailed for two years, with an immediate parole release date.