High-speed police chases
TWO men involved in separate highspeed car chases with police have been locked up.
Kyle Salvatorie Mathiot, 25, allegedly led police in a dramatic rampage through Cairns southern suburbs and on Mulgrave Rd, at times on the wrong side of the road and through red lights, on Tuesday night.
It ended when his Holden Commodore, running on steel rims after the tyres were punctured by a stinger device, crashed into a pole.
Cameron Welch, 28, was taken into custody at Kuranda, also on Tuesday, after the Rescue 510 helicopter was called in to find his vehicle reported to be driving erractically at Mareeba.
TWO men, who allegedly taunted police online to “try catch us filthy pigs”, before going on separate high-speed car rampages across the Far North, have been remanded in custody.
Police had allegedly been hunting Kyle Salvatorie Mathiot, 25, and Cameron Welch, 28, for several days due to previous offences in the lead-up to their dramatic arrests in Cairns and Kuranda.
Mr Mathiot allegedly led police on a dramatic chase on the steel rims of his Holden Commodore through the southern suburbs of Cairns on Tuesday night.
Police have alleged he threatened his father twice — the second time with what appeared to be a gun — at a Mareeba house about 8pm, stole fuel at Atherton, then headed down the Gillies Range.
His vehicle crashed through a police stinger set up at the bottom of the range, damaging the tyres. They shredded off as he allegedly drove at speeds of up to 120km/h along the Bruce Highway with police in pursuit, through red lights and on the wrong side of the road, before crashing into a pole at Westcourt. A knife was allegedly found in the car.
Cairns police Acting Sergeant Russell Parker said it was “probably miraculous” no one was hurt. “It was extremely dangerous behaviour,” he said.
Police pursuits are not common under current legislation, but Sergeant Parker said this was “authorised and justified” due to the earlier possible involvement of a weapon and that Mr Mathiot had allegedly communicated an “intent” not to be caught.
He and Mr Welch took to Facebook in the days leading up to their arrests, posting a picture of themselves in a vehicle with the comment “try catch us filthy pigs … love you my brother …”. Mr Welch was taken into custody at Kuranda after police called in the Rescue 510 helicopter to help locate his vehicle, which had earlier been seen driving erratically at Mareeba.
Mr Mathiot is charged with two counts of obstruct police and one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, possession of a knife in a public place and stealing. He was remanded in custody on a return-to-prison warrant. Mr Welch did not apply for bail and was also remanded in custody. Their cases were adjourned until next month.