Monthly Archives: April 2015

Police appeal for public assistance after car fire – Yass

Police are appealing for public assistance following a car fire at Yass yesterday morning.

About 12.45am (Sunday 5 April 2015), police and fire fighters were called to a home on Petit Street after reports of a fire at the location.

Emergency services arrived to find a vehicle well alight out the front of the property.

The blaze was extinguished a short time later and no one was injured during the incident.

A crime scene was established by officers from The Hume Local Area Command and examined by forensic specialists.

The blaze did not cause any damage to the property or any other surrounding homes.

Initial inquiries suggest the fire was deliberately lit and police are continuing their investigations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the blaze.

Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Yass Detectives or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Man charged after shot fired into air – Goulburn

A man will reappear in court next week after a shot was fired into the air outside a house in Goulburn overnight (Saturday 4 April 2015).

About 11.40pm, police were called to a house on Citizen Street.

It will be alleged a 26-year-old man was home with two other people when a group of six males stopped in front of the house.

The 26-year-old allegedly left the premises holding a firearm, which was discharged into the air. There were no reports of injury or damage

A search of the house located a homemade rifle and a shortened rifle that was seized for forensic examination.

The 26-year-old Goulburn man was arrested and charged with possess prohibited firearm, unregistered firearm, use unauthorised firearm and fire firearm near a public place.

He was refused bail and appeared in Goulburn Local Court today where he was refused bail prior to his reappearance at that same court on 8 April 2015.

Police appeal after woman robbed near local business in Toronto, Lake Macquarie

Police are appealing for information after a woman was robbed near a local business in Toronto, Lake Macquarie, overnight.

About 8pm (Saturday 4 April 2015), a 28-year-old woman gathered the takings from a business on The Boulevarde, before walking a short distance toward her unit on Cook Street.

While walking along a balcony on the second floor of the unit block, the woman was approached by a man who grabbed her bag containing the takings and fled the location.

Witnesses chased the man toward Cary Street before losing sight of him.

The woman was not injured during the incident.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command were contacted and launched an investigation into the incident.

A crime scene was established and local police, with assistance from the Dog Unit, conducted an extensive search of the surrounding area but the man was not found.

Inquiries into the matter are continuing and police would now like to speak to a man who may be able to assist in the investigation.

The man is described as having a dark complexion, aged in his early 30s, about 180cm tall, with a thin build and he was last seen wearing a black hooded top.

Anyone who knows the man’s identity, or has any information that could assist police, is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Sleeping Beauty at Wagga Civic Theatre

Moscow Ballet “La Classique” presents: Sleeping Beauty
2PM MATINEE PERFORMANCE ON SALE!!!
Established in 1990 by its current director Elik Melikov, with their internationally acclaimed ballet skills, lavish costumes and magnificent stage sets; the illustrious “La Classique” takes you on a mystical journey to the fairytale world of Princess Aurora the Sleeping Beauty.

Moscow Ballet La Classique Invites the whole family to an evening of spectacular ballet bringing to life Tchaikovskys fantastically popular score.

In this 2 act fairytale performance, La Classique will capture the imagination, the passion and the magic of Sleeping Beauty.

A hugely enjoyable dance spectacular for ballet lovers of all ages.

Tuesday 28th April 2015 at:

2:00pm – JUST RELEASED!
7:30pm – LIMITED TICKETS!

Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre

 

Fire that shut Hume Freeway near Euroa brought under control

A fire burning near Euroa that shut the Hume Freeway has been brought under control.

The Country Fire Authority say the grass and scrub fire began about 3.30pm today, with up to 80 firefighters battling the blaze.

The crews, in 23 trucks, managed to contain the fire within an hour.

It has burned through 200ha of land in windy conditions but has not threatened properties.

Air support was not required to help battle the fire.

The fire has closed the Hume Freeway.

Northbound lanes remain closed at Longwood, with a detour in place via the Goulburn Valley Highway.

Man charged with kidnapping and assault – Maitland

A man has been charged after an alleged kidnapping and assault in Maitland overnight.

About 11pm (Thursday 2 April 2015), police will allege a 20-year-old man attended a High Street, Maitland to meet someone and was allegedly assaulted by a 27-year-old man and forced into the boot of a car.

He was allegedly being driven to Rutherford but has managed to free himself from the boot while it was moving, suffering minor injuries.

The 20-year-old man ran to a nearby home and police were called.

About 4.15am today (Friday 3 April 2015), Central Hunter Detectives arrested a 27-year-old man.

He has been charged with kidnapping and assault and granted conditional bail to appear before Maitland Local Court Thursday 9 April 2015.

Inquiries are continuing.

Police appeal to find driver of 4WD after pursuit – Goulburn

Police investigating a pursuit in Goulburn on Tuesday are appealing for the driver of a silver or grey 4WD to come forward.

About 12.50am on Tuesday 31 March 2015, police from Goulburn Local Area Command were involved in a pursuit of a VT Holden Commodore station wagon being driven by a 53-year-old man.

The pursuit travelled through Windemella Road, Bourke Street, Victoria Street, and McDermott Drive.

Police will allege the Holden drove at police vehicles, causing them to take evasive action. It also allegedly drove towards a 4WD, causing it to brake harshly.

The driver of the Holden has been taken to hospital and police hope to interview him once his condition improves.

Officers are now appealing for the driver of a silver or grey 4WD which was travelling south on McDermott Drive approaching the bridge at that time to contact them.

Police believe the driver may be able to assist with their investigations into the pursuit.

Man charged for assault of off-duty officer – Albury

A man has been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting and threatening an off-duty officer in Albury last week.
About 6.35pm (Friday 27 March 2015), a female off-duty officer and her friend were near a building site in Albury when they saw a woman inside the fencing on the site and a vehicle parked adjacent on the roadside.
The officer identified herself as a police officer and spoke to the woman.
A man appeared from near the vehicle and both attempted to leave.
The officer and her friend attempted to stop the pair from getting into the vehicle to leave, when a struggle ensued and the man pushed the officer a number of times and threatened her and her friend with a bladed weapon.
The man and woman then drove away in the vehicle.
Albury Local Area Command commenced an investigation, and, as a result of inquiries, a 30-year-old man was arrested by police on Swan Street, North Albury, around 7.30am today (Thursday 2 April 2015).

He was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with numerous offences including:

– Enter enclosed lands;

– Larceny;

– Assault officer in execution of duty;

– Cause actual bodily harm;

– Two counts of assaulting a person acting in aid of a police officer;

– Intimidate officer in execution of duty;

– Wield knife in a public place;

– Armed with intent to commit indictable offence; and,

– Use weapon to avoid apprehension.

Bail refused, the man appeared in Albury Local Court where he was again refused bail to next appear on Wednesday (8 April 2015).

The man’s arrest follows the arrest of a 40-year-old woman, who was arrested at a home on Swan Street on Saturday (28 March 2015).
She was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with stealing, trespass and shoplifting for an unrelated matter. The woman was given conditional bail to appear at Albury Local Court on Tuesday 14 April 2015.

White crosses to line the Hume Freeway marking the pain and passion of top traffic cop

Twelve white crosses will line the Hume Freeway at Wangaratta as part of a country policeman’s push to prevent deaths on the roads over Easter.

For the second year in a row, highway patrol sergeant Michael Connors will take the 1.5 metre wooden crosses he fashioned himself and put them along a 50-kilometre stretch of the freeway from Glenrowan to Springhurst.

Each cross marks the spot where a car came off the road – 12 crosses for 14 lives.

“I’ve been a policeman for 24 years and you see the horrific aftermath of these crashes. I just felt in myself there was more that could be done. At the end of the day, I want to know that I’ve done everything I can,” Sergeant Connors says.

One of those crosses represents the life of Marjorie Hutchieson, killed on July 9 last year.

The 87 year old was on her way home to Wangaratta with her husband, her sister and a grandson. A freak storm hit when they were 15 minutes from home and a layer of ice had hardened on the road.

Six cars slid off the freeway. The passengers in five of them escaped injury but the car Mrs Hutchieson was in hit the only tree in sight.

Her sister, her sister’s grandson and her husband of 68 years survived but the crash killed the mother of seven and grandmother of 24.

Her husband, Bob, will turn 91 this month and he wishes the accident had taken him too.

“Having a loving family helps but it doesn’t help enough. I just want to be with her,” Mr Hutchieson says.

The pain takes his breath away and right before it overwhelms him, he distracts himself and points to the photos covering the lounge room walls in their home of 50 years.

“I’ve got stories for all of them,” he says, and he floods the room with tales of his children and how he started writing to Marjorie when he was serving in the navy.

“Her mum and dad were strict Methodists and I always wondered why they let her write to a sailor. Then I figured later on I was 3000 miles away so they had no worries.”

Mr Hutchieson is going with Sergeant Connors to see his wife’s cross on Good Friday. It will be the first time he has been back to the crash scene.

He hopes people will see her cross and take more care.

“I want people to know it doesn’t get any better, you’ve got it for life,” he says.

The date of the crash that took Mrs Hutchieson is written in orange marker on a whiteboard in Sergeant Connors’ office. Every “fatal” his officers attend is listed.

“I look at it at the start of my shift and by the end of my shift I’m happy if I haven’t added to it,” he says.

Sergeant Connors is what the force calls a “believer”. A committed traffic cop, he truly believes the road toll can be reduced to zero and that his whiteboard will be unmarked.

“I just feel there’s always more that can be done. People see the television campaigns and read the stories but, hopefully, the crosses are more in their face and people will understand it can happen to them,” he says.

Fatal collision – Old Junee, near Wagga Wagga

Police are investigating a fatal collision at Old Junee yesterday afternoon.

About 4.50pm (Wednesday 1 April 2015), emergency services were called to Canola Way at Old Junee, about 8km west of Goldfields Way.

Police have been told a Ford Falcon towing a box trailer and a Mazda utility collided head-on at the location.

The driver of the Ford Falcon, a 61-year-old man, died at the scene.

The 62-year-old male passenger of the Ford Falcon suffered a broken pelvis and a punctured lung and was taken to Wagga Base Hospital in a serious condition.

The 44-year-old male driver of the Mazda utility sustained minor injuries and was also taken to Wagga Base Hospital for mandatory blood and urine tests.

Police from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command as well as specialist officers from the Crash Investigation Unit are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.