Rape count after man’s bridge leap
A MAN raped a woman he met on a dating website, led police on a wild car chase and jumped off a bridge to escape capture after a failed car jacking, police will allege.
The 29-year-old Maudsland man is accused of raping and robbing a woman he met on Plenty of Fish at her Ormeau Hills home on May 5.
Police were on the hunt for the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, following the alleged rape. He was spotted allegedly driving dangerously in a stolen Hyundai Santa Fe at Carrara about 11am on Monday.
Police allege Polair vision shows erratic driving, the car nearly crashing a number of times and hopping a curb on to a footpath in an attempt to evade police.
Officers threw road spikes and blew the car’s tyres on Ross St Bridge.
The car continued until police blocked the road. Police allege the man jumped out of the car armed with a knife and tried to steal another car, before he was swarmed by officers.
The vision goes on to show the man jumping a safety rail before taking the leap into the Nerang River and attempting to swim away.
Two police officers ran down to the banks of the water before commandeering a boat and going after the man. Other officers chased the man through thick mangroves.
The vision goes on to show officers in chest-deep water handcuffing the man and dragging him back to the shore.
An officer broke a toe on his left foot in the chase.
A man has been charged with attempted robbery, dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving a motor vehicle without a driver's licence and two counts of obstructing police.
He was also charged with one count of rape and one count of stealing in relation to an incident that occurred on May 5 at an Ormeau Hills address.
Legal Aid Queensland lawyer Bill Siganto appeared on the alleged offender’s behalf in Southport Magistrates Court yesterday.
The accused did not appear in court.
He did not apply for bail on his client’s behalf and asked for an adjournment while a Legal Aid application was processed.
Magistrate Pamela Dowse adjourned the case to May 28 when the man will appear via videolink.