High speed reckless driving has become all too common in Coonamble of late, leading in some instances to Police pursuing vehicles around local streets.

The past week has seen a number of vehicle-related incidents that have seen one man arrested, two joyriders injured and one driver walk away miraculously unharmed.

Pursuits and patience result in arrest

Two separate incidents were reported by police on Thursday 13 July.

The initial incident began the night before, when a white Toyota Landcruiser was stolen from a motel in Dubbo.

The driver had made their way to Coonamble, and upon being spotted by police at a house in Hickey Street at around 2:30 pm the driver took off with police in close pursuit.

Police had attempted to stop the Landcruiser, however, they were unable to and the driver escaped into the area known as Tin Town, the island in the Castlereagh River at the northern end of Namoi Street.

Reports from community members later that day helped police locate the vehicle at around 11:35pm on Dubbo Street in Coonamble, and they made further attempts to stop the car.

The driver again failed to stop and police again entered into a pursuit.

The car would eventually come to a stop when it crashed into a fence in a laneway off King Street, and the male driver fled on foot, managing to evade police.

In a separate incident on that same day at around 10:20 pm, police had attempted to stop a utility travelling along the Baradine Road following reports of dangerous driving.

Attempts by police to stop the vehicle were not effective, and the driver took off, and a pursuit was initiated. A short time later the chase was terminated after police lost sight of the vehicle.

A spokesperson from Orana Mid-Western Police District said an investigation into the multiple pursuits in Coonamble was underway.

The policework was rewarded on Monday 17 July when a key suspect was located in Coonamble.

With plenty of officers available, Coonamble Police were able to establish a perimeter and apprehended the alleged offender and after a brief foot chase.

He was due to appear on multiple charges at Coonamble Local Court on Tuesday 18 July.

Anyone with further information is urged to call Coonamble Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Quad bike riders injured

Officers attached to Orana Mid-Western Police District have commenced inquiries into two crashes in Coonamble over the weekend. 

About 3.10am on Sunday 16 July 2023, emergency services were called to the Castlereagh Highway near Buckley Drive, Coonamble, following reports of a quad bike crash. 

The quad bike was travelling north towards Walgett when it collided with a street sign.

Police have advised that the rider, aged 32 and passenger aged 26, were treated on scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before they were taken to Coonamble Hospital and later airlifted to Dubbo Base Hospital.  The rider was later airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

The passenger has since been released from hospital. 

Neither the rider nor passenger were wearing helmets and while the quad bike was not stolen it was unregistered and the driver was unlicensed.

The driver escaped this accident near Combara on Friday night 14 July almost without a scratch.

Not stolen or chased - just lucky

In separate incident, police responded to a call of a crashed vehicle on the Warren Road near Combara just after 9pm on Friday 14 July 2023. 

Police spoke with the owner of the vehicle, who suffered minor scratches from the incident despite significant damage to the vehicle on all sides. 

No further inquiries will be made.