THE BEAT: German national pleads not guilty to murder, police hunt for Claremont arsonists
Traffic grinds to a halt on Southern Outlet after multiple-vehicle crash | German national enters a plea over suspicious death on Boxing Day | Several cars in a greater Hobart suburb have been torched overnight. FOLLOW LIVE >>
Tasmania
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21
MULTI-CAR PILE-UP ON SOUTHERN OUTLET
7.45PM
A MULTIPLE-vehicle crash on the Southern Outlet caused far-reaching traffic delays across greater Hobart on Thursday evening.
Tasmania Police said it was unknown if motorists received any serious injuries when several cars crashed in a southbound lane about 5.30pm.
A lane was closed while police, fire and ambulance personnel attended the scene.
A Tasmania Police spokesman said the scene was cleared at 7.15pm.
Motorists told the Mercury that traffic was at a standstill on the Outlet at 7.30pm.
GERMAN NATIONAL PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO MURDER
9.35AM
A GERMAN national will face trial after pleading not guilty to the murder of a 49-year-old woman in her Wellington St home on Boxing Day.
Tobias Pick, 27, entered the plea through his lawyer in the Launceston Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He appeared via video link from Risdon Prison where he will stay until a directions hearing is held in the Supreme Court in Launceston in April.
Magistrate Sharon Cure remanded Mr Pick in custody again and formally committed him to stand trial.
Mr Pick was charged with murder following the suspicious death of Jingai Zhang on December 26.
At the time police said other people at the house had rung triple-0 about 8.30pm on December 26.
When police arrived at the Wellington St address they found the woman in a bedroom.
Police said a witness and then paramedics tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate Ms Zhang before she was pronounced dead and her family notified.
Police allege it was Mr Pick who killed her but have not revealed what injuries she suffered or details on how she died.
Those details will be revealed during his trial.
A woman who was arrested at the same time as Mr Pick was later released with no charge.
Police said in a statement earlier this month that Mr Pick was from Germany and had been in Australia on a working visa for several months.
Ms Zhang was an Australian permanent resident of Chinese origin.
BUSHFIRE AT DOLPHIN SANDS
2.45PM
Numerous Tasmania Fire Service crews are heading to a bushfire at Dolphin Sands on Tasmania’s east coast, near Coles Bay.
TFS states that the three hectare blaze currently poses no threat to the community but “fire under these conditions can be difficult to control.
At the time of this update, eight ground vehicles and five aircraft are responding to the blaze.
What to do:
- People in Dolphin Sands should keep up to date by listening to ABC Local Radio or look at the TFS website at www.fire.tas.gov.au.
- Well prepared homes are defendable in these conditions.
- If you are not prepared for a bushfire, think about leaving for a safe place if it gets more dangerous.
- If your family has made a bushfire survival plan, check it now.
VEHICLE FIRES IN CLAREMONT
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM:
DETECTIVES from Glenorchy CIB are investigating the circumstances surrounding several vehicles being deliberately set alight on Main Rd, Claremont last night.
Information suggests that one vehicle had been targeted by an unknown person, however as a result of a container of fuel catching on fire, three nearby vehicles have also been damaged extensively by fire.
At 9.20pm, Tasmania Fire Service attended the scene and extinguished the fire, with no injuries reported.
The value of the damage caused totals approximately $20,000.
Attending police spoke with some witnesses at the scene, who have reported seeing a male in the area at the time this occurred.
He is described as:
- Wearing a black and white spray jacket, with a grey hooded jacket underneath, black track pants, approximately 175 cm, with blonde, mullet styled hair and aged in his late 20s or early 30s. The man was reportedly carrying a red fuel container.
- Also observed in the area at the time was a late model ute, which was blue in colour that police believe may have also been involved.
Police would like to speak to anyone who has information in relation to the incident or observed suspicious activity in the area. Information can be provided to Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.
Fire crews douse car fire in beachside suburb
WEDNESDAY, 7AM:
EMERGENCY crews and police attended a car fire at Bonnet Hill last night.
Tasmania Fire Service arrived at the blaze in Tyndall Rd shortly after 10pm with the car well alight and extinguished the blaze within 15 minutes.
It’s is unclear if the blaze was deliberately lit or accidental.
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