Man rescued after 36 hours in stormwater drain in Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point allegedly evaded police
A man rescued from a Brisbane stormwater drain on Monday allegedly evaded police after being a passenger in two dangerous driving incidents on Sunday.
The 38-year-old man was helped out of the drain in Kangaroo Point by firefighters at about 11am on Monday.
He estimated to emergency services that he had been stuck for about 36 hours and claimed to have been retrieving his phone.
But in a new twist, Queensland police this afternoon alleged the man was the passenger in a vehicle involved in two car crashes in the suburb at about 4.20am on Sunday morning.
A patrol attempted to follow a Ford Falcon in Anderson Street, Kangaroo Point when it reversed and crashed into the car, police said. It caused substantial damage to the Ford and moderate damage to the police vehicle. Officers were uninjured.
The Ford then allegedly fled the area before becoming involved in a second car crash on Shafston Avenue a short time later, police said.
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The occupants of the Ford then allegedly fled the area on foot.
It is understood the man had been offered rescue on Sunday but turned it down, before the same person returned again on Monday and called triple zero.
The rescue operation took barely five minutes, with two Queensland Fire and Emergency Service crews dispatched to the scene on Castlebar Street.
Firefighters simply lifted the lid on the drain so the man could climb out.
The man was taken to the Mater hospital, reportedly in a stable condition, where he was treated for abrasions and exposure to the cold.
He was now assisting police with their inquiries.
The acting police commissioner, Steve Gollschewski, said earlier on Tuesday that police had launched an investigation into the incident.
The veteran cop – who has spent four decades in uniform – said people’s behaviour still had the capacity to surprise him.
“It’s amazing what people will do sometimes and what happens, so yes, there’s always surprises,” he said.
“But I like to work out what’s actually happening. So let’s get to the facts. I don’t know what they are yet. Let the investigation run its course and we will work out where it goes from there.”
Queensland police appealed for anyone with more information about the incident to come forward, as efforts to locate the occupants of the Ford continued.
Brisbane received more than 4mm of rain on Sunday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.