Unlicensed teen charged after police car bursts into flames following pursuit
An unlicensed teenage driver will face court next month after a highway patrol pursuit ended with a police car being destroyed by fire.
The incident began with officers chasing a sedan travelling north along the M1 Pacific Motorway, near Tweed Heads, just before 2pm on Thursday.
Road spikes were deployed at Duranbah Tunnel, near Chinderah, and the sedan’s tyres were deflated.
But when the sedan and a Highway Patrol car stopped on the shoulder, the grass caught fire destroying both vehicles, police said.
“Three males were removed from their car and checked at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Tweed Heads Police Station,” according to a NSW Police statement.
A witness described watching the police chase unfolding from their vehicle which travelled along the M1 about 2.15pm.
“It was getting too close to us so we pulled over,” they wrote on Facebook.
“The vehicle being pursued headed into the centre ditch then across the southbound M1 lanes and ended up with nowhere else to go but onto the southern lanes verge.”
Two cars catch fire following police chase
They said the pursued car was immediately surrounded by five police cars, as officers dragged its occupants out, with guns drawn.
“As this scuffle was occurring we noticed that the patrol car was smoking and then very quickly was engulfed in flames despite attempts to put it out with fire extinguishers,” they wrote.
The flames quickly spread to the suspect’s car, while the remaining police cars were able to be moved away from the fire, according to the witness.
17-year-old Brisbane driver charged
A 17-year-old, from the north Brisbane suburb of Carseldine, was charged with a police pursuit, dangerous driving/failing to stop, as well as unlicensed driving.
He was granted conditional bail and will appear at a children’s court on September 16.
His two passengers were released and no further police action is expected against them.
An officer was taken to Tweed Hospital suffering smoke inhalation, according to 7 News.
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