A young, unlicensed driver and an older man allegedly led police on a dangerous hour-long car chase through NSW’s New England region, allegedly reaching a speed of 180km/h and dodging road spikes.
Jake Jillette, 26, who police allege has never had a driver’s licence, has been accused of driving a white Ford station wagon early on Friday morning with numberplates that did not match the car.
Traffic and Highway Patrol ran his plates and noticed the alleged discrepancy about 7am on the Gwydir Highway, Elsmore, 15 kilometres west of Inverell, and attempted to stop the vehicle. An hour-long pursuit allegedly followed as officers chased the car from Elsmore to Inverell to Glen Innes, traversing an estimated 90 kilometres.
The car allegedly reached 180km/h on the highway, which has a speed limit of 100km/h, and 110km/h along Moore Street in Inverell, which has a speed limit of 50. Police deployed road spikes, which were also allegedly dodged.
The car stopped on Pitlochry Road, a no-through road, nearly 40 kilometres from where the pursuit started.
Jillette and the 49-year-old passenger were arrested and taken to Glen Innes police station. Police allegedly found cannabis in the car. Jillette faced Parramatta local court on Saturday morning charged with six offences: using an unregistered vehicle; police pursuit, refusing to stop and driving at speed; driving above 45km/h; being a never licensed person driving on the road with a prior offence; and using an uninsured vehicle on the road.
He was granted bail and will next face Dubbo Local Court on October 30.
The 49-year-old passenger was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and granted conditional bail. He will appear at Glen Innes Local Court on November 12.
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