A man is under police guard in hospital after allegedly stealing and crashing a police vehicle near Maitland.

Just before 10.30am today (Sunday 26 April 2015), an off-duty police officer witnessed an alleged domestic incident on South Seas Drive at Ashtonfield.

It’s alleged a woman suffered a laceration to her hand during the incident.

Police were contacted and officers from Central Hunter Local Area Command attended and arrested the woman’s partner.

The man was handcuffed and placed in the rear of a police car while details were taken from the alleged victim.

The 32-year-old man got into the driver’s seat of the police vehicle before driving off while handcuffed.

A short time later he crashed the police vehicle into two parked cars and a car port.

All three cars involved were extensively damaged, while the car port sustained minor damage.
The man wasn’t injured in the crash and was taken to Maitland Police Station before being taken to hospital for observation.

He remains under police guard and is expected to be charged with multiple offences when he is released from hospital. He will be bail refused to appear at Maitland Local Court tomorrow (Monday 27 April 2015).