Four people will face court today charged with a combined 43 offences - including assaulting police and producing a weapon to avoid apprehension - following an alleged police pursuit through the Hunter Valley region yesterday.
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Police allege a man brandished a knife and threatened police officers trying to arrest him and a woman at the end of a chase which involved two vehicles being disabled by road spikes and a pursuit through bushland.
The saga began at 9am on Tuesday, March 14, when Traffic and Highway Patrol officers were patrolling the Pokolbin area, when they detected a Toyota Hilux allegedly travelling at high speed on Broke Road.
Police said when the Toyota failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated travelling through Wollombi township with road spikes successfully deployed at Paynes Crossing.
The vehicle stopped at a nearby property and the four occupants fled before allegedly stealing a Nissan utility parked nearby and driving off.
A short time later, police again deployed road spikes, stopping the Nissan near bushland at Sweetmans Creek, where the four occupants fled into bushland.
Police said following an extensive foot pursuit, a 37-year-old woman and three men - aged 26, 41 and 44 - were arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station.
The 37-year-old woman was charged with 23 offences, including two counts of use weapon to avoid lawful detention, three counts of resist arrest; two counts of assault police two counts of police pursuit - drive recklessly and use a weapon to avoid apprehension.
Her other charges included: two outstanding warrants; break enter and steal; assault with intent to take/drive motor vehicle; aggravated take/drive motor vehicle in company; three counts of drive while disqualified; be carried in conveyance without consent; two counts of take and drive conveyance without consent; goods in custody suspected of being stolen; and possess prohibited drug.
The 41-year-old man was charged with 11 offences, including: resist arrest; assault police in execution of duty; three counts of use weapon to avoid lawful detention; aggravated take/drive motor vehicle in company; drive while unlicensed; take/drive conveyance without consent; and three counts of be carried in conveyance without consent,
The 44-year-old man was charged with breach of bail, two counts of be carried in conveyance without consent, and resist police.
The 26-year-old man was charged with two counts of be carried in conveyance without consent, resist police, possess prohibited drug and possess offensive implement.
Police will allege in court the 41-year-old produced a knife and threatened police attempting to arrest him and the 37-year-old woman during the foot pursuit.
All four were refused bail to appear at Cessnock Local Court today (Wednesday, March 15).
Investigations are continuing.
