A 37-year-old man has been charged with a string of offences after allegedly running over a police officer when he was stopped on Friday evening in Perth’s east.
About 5pm, the man had been stopped near the intersection of Stanton Road and Epsom Avenue in Belmont. While the officer was speaking with him, he allegedly sped away, striking the officer in the process.
The police officer, a man in his 40s, received serious injuries and was taken to Royal Perth Hospital by St John Ambulance. On Saturday morning he remained in a stable condition but with critical injuries.
Following the incident, drugs were found in the vehicle involved and also at several residences.
The vehicle involved in the incident was later involved in a crash near the intersection of Clayton Street and Roe Highway in Bellevue.
The driver was then taken into custody and has since been charged with a string of offences overnight, including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm in circumstances of aggravation, failing to report an incident occasioning death or grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and ensure assistance received after incident occasioning grievous bodily harm and reckless driving.
The Stoneville man will appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday.
Major Crash extracting the wrecked vehicle on the Clayton Street.Credit: Night News
WA Premier Roger Cook said his heart went out to the officer and his family and friends, as well as his fellow officers.
“We wish this officer all the very best and for a full recovery, but our hearts go out to him, his family and, of course, his colleagues who would have been there last night to assist him,” he said.
“The men and women of our police force put their bodies on the line every day to keep us safe. It’s simply not acceptable that anyone should seek to cause violence against one of our serving police officers.
“I am disgusted by this particular act, and I want the police to be able to get to the bottom of this matter. They now have someone in custody. I hope that justice is served.”
On Sunday, police confirmed that during a search of the vehicle involved, approximately one kilogram of methylamphetamine was found.
Search warrants have also been executed in Ascot, Stoneville and Woodbridge.
“At the Ascot location, amounts of methylamphetamine, cocaine, GHB, MDMA and testosterone have been located. Inquiries are continuing with three people who were present at the residence at the time,” police said in a statement.
“At the Stoneville location, amounts of cannabis and methylamphetamine have been located. No one was present at the time the search warrant was executed, and inquiries into the drugs are ongoing.
“At the Woodbridge location, no persons were present at the time the search warrant was executed. A search of the residence is ongoing.”
In a similar incident in mid-2023 another police officer, Anthony Woods, was run over and pinned underneath a suspected stolen car in Perth.
He and other officers were following a vehicle with stolen number plates when it came to a stop.
Woods and another officer went to detain the three occupants of the car when the driver allegedly reversed in an attempt to escape and dragged Woods underneath the car, pinning him there. He later died in hospital.
Reagan Ainsley Chown, the alleged driver, was charged with his murder but has pleaded not guilty. He will next appear in court in November.
Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.