Escaped prisoner was in minimum security, Corrections Minister says

A prison escapee has been arrested after leading police on a wild car chase throughout the suburbs of Hobart this morning. LATEST FROM THE SAGA >>

A 35-year-old prison escapee has been arrested after leading police on a wild car chase throughout the suburbs of Bridgewater.

The man broke out of Risdon prison before driving away in a ute which, police allege, was stolen from a nearby driveway.

The ute allegedly had a shotgun locked in a secure compartment underneath its rear tray which the driver was seemingly unaware of.

Three Tasmania Police cars and the vehicle the prisoner was driver were involved in an accident. A prisoner escaped from Risdon Prison and was taken into custody at Bridgewater. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The chase came to an end after the car plowed through a fence next to the highway.

Neighbour Jace Pearce heard the bang and came running, only to discover a ute and several cop cars just over his backyard fence.

“There were heaps of cop cars everywhere,” Mr Pearce said.

“I was worried that the car was going to drive straight through my fence”

Jace Pearce who lives in a home that backs onto the crash scene on the East Derwent Highway. A prisoner escaped from Risdon Prison and was taken into custody at Bridgewater. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Nearby resident Sarah Jane, 28, also heard the collision.

“We heard a bit of banging and crashing. We looked over the back fence and there was a sign knocked down and a tyre rolling down the road,” Ms Jane said.

“We came down and had a look and saw that the ute come to a top on the tree.”

Local mum Emma, who did not wished to have her last name published, was driving into the city when she saw the mayhem unfold.

“I was just going out to do some birthday shopping, but I couldn’t get through so I had to swerve off the road,” Emma said.

Risdon Prison. A prisoner escaped from Risdon Prison and was taken into custody at Bridgewater. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“It makes you wonder why a person would be so desperate to escape, what’s going in there for them to be so desperate to get out.”

Police inspector Brett Berry said there would be an extensive investigation into the morning’s proceedings.
Insepctor Berry said at this stage they believe the man had no help from outside the prison, and that the stolen car was chosen at random.

“At this stage the scant information we have indicates the male is alleged to have stolen a car from the nearby suburb of risdenvale, a white ford utility,” Inspector Berry said.

“We work very closely with the prisons and we are confident that police will respond very quickly to thse types of events and will keep the tamsnaian public very safe.”

Corrections minister Elise Archer said the fugitive had been in minimum security prison at the time of his escape.

“Any escape of course ... from a prison facility is completely unacceptable,”

Ms Archer said.

Elise Archer Minister for Justice and Corrections. Budget estimates 2021. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“These are the result of inadvertent, but unfortunate human errors.”

The Minister addressed parliament at Question Time on Thursday after Labor Leader Rebecca White asked how a prisoner could be able to escape.

“On your watch serious mistakes are being made,” Ms White said.

The Corrections Minister said the government was being transparent and investing in projects like the Justice Connect Project to address the issue.

“To this date there has been no confirmation from Labor about how many people were incorrectly released when they were in government,” Ms Archer said.

“Ensuring incorrect releases do not happen is taken very seriously.”

Inmate believed to be armed escapes Risdon Prison

Earlier: An inmate who was reportedly armed is in custody after he escaped Risdon Prison around 9:05am.

Polair was deployed following the escape and the 35-year-old was located about 20 minutes later near Jordan River Bridge at Gagebrook on the East Derwent Highway after leading police on a wild chase through Greater Hobart.

Crash scene of prison escape at Gagebrook. Pic: Supplied.

The man was arrested after the alleged stolen car he was driving was spiked.

No one was injured although multiple police cars were damaged.

Local Salina Cotton said the inmate crashed into an electrician and a man delivering her dishwasher, taking the tray off the ute.

Tray of stolen ute. Source: Salina Cotton.

Anyone with information or dash cam footage of a white Ford Ranger with registration E10CV driving erratically on the eastern shore should contact Police on 131444 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800333000 or crimestopperstas.com.au