Pair charged after wild police ‘chase’
A BURDEKIN couple who allegedly led police on a wild cross-country chase in NorthWest Queensland has been remanded in jail to face multiple charges.
Shannon Marie Poli, 27, and Travis Peter White, 26, appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court this week following the alleged crime spree, which began in Mount Isa and finished in Hughenden.
Charters Towers officerin-charge Senior Sergeant Neil King said police had allegedly first spotted the couple in a Ford Ranger on the highway between Dajarra and Mount Isa at 4.40pm on August 21.
White was allegedly driving the vehicle in a dangerous manner with a female passenger, Poli, in the passenger’s seat and a one-year-old child also in the car.
The car was allegedly driven at high speed through Mount Isa and police abandoned the chase.
Sergeant King said police spotted the vehicle again at a United Service Station, where White was allegedly putting fuel in the car.
Police attempted to block the vehicle from leaving the service station, but the couple allegedly reversed and drove away.
Sergeant King said it would be alleged that the car was travelling at 150km/h on the Barkly Highway heading towards Cloncurry.
He said at one stage the couple allegedly drove through fenced paddocks and towards a marked police vehicle as they were being pursued by officers.
Sergeant King said it would be alleged that the oneyear-old child with the couple was travelling unrestrained in the vehicle.
Police called off the chase and lost sight of the couple near Julia Creek on the Flinders Highway.
Sergeant King said police received a call at 4.30am on August 22 reporting a vehicle involved in a traffic crash near Torrens Creek.
He said a truck driver had picked the couple up and dropped them off at a service station in Hughenden.
Hughenden police went to the service station and arrested the pair.
Poli, of Jarvisfield, has been charged with nine breaches of bail conditions, driving without due care and attention, receiving tainted property in the form of number plates and stealing fuel.
She was remanded in Stuart prison to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on September 20.
White, also of Jarvisfield, was charged with stealing after a previous conviction, evading police, four counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, three counts of driving while disqualified with a prior conviction, wilful damage and stealing fuel.
White was remanded in custody to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on November 4.