'Lucky to be here': Officer shot at during four-hour car chase breaks silence as thieves are sent to jail
A police officer shot at during a dramatic chase that stretched from outer Brisbane to northern New South Wales has broken his silence about the terrifying ordeal.
Former NSW police officer Troy Cutler told 7 News of the dangerous four-hour pursuit that put two men behind bars on Wednesday.
John Tough, 34, and his passenger Calin McCabe, 22, sped off when police tried to pull them over at Caboolture, north of Brisbane, on February 5, 2015.
During the next four hours they carjacked three drivers.
Their dangerous ride covered three highways, reaching speeds of up to 190 kilometres an hour.
The pair made a desperate dash, hunting for another car to steal.
They fired at three officers, and sent a bullet through the side of a passing vehicle.
Mr Cutler was seconds from returning fire when the two men were arrested.
Pulling up in his squad car behind the blue sedan, Mr Cutler knew he was in danger.
Tough was armed with a gun as the officer ran towards him.
"This is not a cap gun, this is real. The risk to the community was just extreme," he said.
"Having four 45 calibre rounds bouncing off at my feet and within centimetres of me, I'm probably lucky to be here.
"I chose not to take the shot and it worked out to be the best."
Lee Hatton, the husband of one of the victims, told 7 News one of the men threatened his wife.
"He's got a gun to her head saying get the f** out I want your car, I want your car," he recalled.
Tough was jailed for 14 years and McCabe was sentenced to six, but he could walk free in February.
"I think it's fair, I'm happy with the result," Mr Cutler said.
Once released from prison in New South Wales, both Tough and McCabe are likely to be extradited to Queensland to face even more charges.
The officers still face the demons from a day on duty that could have turned deadly.
