A Queensland man who led a police helicopter on a high speed chase along the Hume Highway was only apprehended when he ran out of fuel, NSW Police say.
Jamie Christopher Hooper, 26, is accused of leading police on a dangerous pursuit for more than 100 kilometres at speeds up to 230 kilometres per hour on Tuesday, in a chase likened by police to “something out of a movie”.
Mr Hooper, of Balmoral St in Hawthorne, Queensland was refused bail when he appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, the Goulburn Post reports.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Ben Lee told the court the “wild pursuit” was “like something out of a movie” and “a chaotic sequence of events that could have easily caused death or injury to multiple people,” with many police involved, including the Polair helicopter.
In opposing Hooper’s bail application, Sgt Lee said he feared for the community if Hooper were released.
Police facts tendered in court said the pursuit began on Tuesday when a Queensland-registered Holden Commodore allegedly driven by Hooper didn’t stop for a random breath-test in Dixon St, Parramatta about 1.10pm.
Police gave chase along Boundary St, but the pursuit was later terminated on the Great Western Highway at Westmead.
Then, about 1.50pm, the Commodore was spotted again, this time on the Cumberland Highway at Liverpool, and a second pursuit began, travelling through a number of streets in Liverpool before heading out onto the Hume Highway.
The car ran out of petrol about 70km south at the Colo Vale off-ramp. Hooper ran into nearby bushland, where he was apprehended, taken to Bowral Police Station and charged.
“It is alleged the car driven by the defendant reached speeds of up to 230 km/h through suburban streets in Liverpool, running stop signs during the school holidays,” Sgt Lee said.
“He allegedly showed complete and utter disregard for any consequences to members of the public who were also using the roadway at the time.
“He was also allegedly sticking his arm out the window and giving the finger to police while driving as well as weaving in and out of traffic on the highway and also driving into the breakdown lane to overtake other vehicles.”
In court, Hooper was handcuffed and surrounded by four correctional officers. He wore shorts and a singlet that exposed arm tattoos, and his right knee was bandaged.
In applying for bail, Hooper’s solicitor said her client told her he was not driving the car at the time.
“He told me that he was not the driver of the vehicle,” the solicitor said.
During proceedings, Hooper interjected from the dock, yelling: “That is all wrong”, “I want to represent myself”, and “I was not arrested in the bush, I was arrested on the road”.
Magistrate Geraldine Beattie told Hooper to be quiet, then refused his bail application.
“There is a strong prosecution case and a jail sentence is inevitable if you are convicted,” she said.
“You said you were not the driver of the vehicle, but there were significant tattoos on the arm of the driver in the police facts.
“You were on bail at the time of the pursuit for a violent assault at Tweed Heads.
“You have shown a lack of remorse and I have no confidence that you will comply with bail conditions if I release you today.”
Mr Hooper did not enter pleas to any of the five charges laid including: not stopping under police pursuit; dangerous driving; exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h; not displaying authorised number plates; and not obeying police directions.
The matter has been adjourned to May 2 to coincide with other breach of bail matters in Tweed Heads Local Court by audio-visual link.