17 February 2009

Police Wrap - 17 February

| johnboy
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1. Suspicious fire in Holder:

    ACT Policing is investigating a suspicious house fire in Holder which occurred today (February 16).

    Police attended the Weingarth Street premises around 3.30am in response to a request for assistance from the ACT Fire Brigade.

    No one was injured or at home during the fire, which was controlled and extinguished shortly after police arrived. Police were not required to evacuate neighbouring residents due to quick containment of the fire.

    Despite the quick containment the house suffered major damage.

    An initial assessment by the ACT Fire Brigade deemed the fire as suspicious and AFP Forensic Services attended the scene to assist in determining the cause.

2. Ever wondered who that dork with his high beams on is?

    ACT Policing has arrested a 14-year-old Charnwood male youth after a pursuit through Nicholls on Saturday (February 14).

    Around 10.20pm police attempted to pull over a four-wheel-drive with high beam and spotlights activated on Kelleway Avenue. The driver of the vehicle allegedly failed to stop.

    Police followed the vehicle through a number of streets before it continued along Kuringa Drive toward Spence and collided with the rear of a white sedan travelling in the same direction. The white sedan was forced off the road and the Nissan Patrol allegedly failed to stop.

    Police stopped to assist the 20-year-old female driver of the white sedan. She was treated at the scene by ACT Ambulance and conveyed to Calvary Hospital with minor injuries.

    The four-wheel-drive was located abandoned near the intersection of Kuringa Drive and Owen Dixon Drive, Spence. Police conducted a search of the area before attending a Charnwood residence where they arrested a male youth in relation to the incident.

    The youth was conveyed to the City Regional Watch House where he was breath tested, allegedly returning a result of 0.104.

    He was bailed from the Regional Watch house and will face the ACT Children’s Court on Monday, February 23, 2009 on numerous charges including dangerous driving, unlicensed driving, not stop vehicle when requested by police, exceed the prescribed concentration of alcohol in blood (special driver) and not stop and give assistance.

3. Calwell man charged with kiddy fiddling:

    ACT Policing has charged a 55-year-old Calwell man with 17 sexual assault related offences following the execution of a search warrant at his premises on February 13.

    The charges relate to allegations of recurring sexual assaults on two girls during a seven year period between 1993 and 2000.

    The man was arrested by members of the Territory Investigations Group (TIG) Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team (SACAT) following the search of his residence.

    He has been charged with seven counts of act of indecency with person between 10-16 years, three counts of sexual intercourse with person under 16 years, four counts of sexual intercourse without consent, one count of act of indecency without consent, one count of use child to produce child pornography and one count of possess child pornography.

    The man was released on bail and will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on February 23.

4. We’ve all been warned again:

    ACT Policing is urging drivers not to become complacent on our roads after the Territory recorded its first road fatality for 2009 yesterday (February 17).

    A 38-year-old Queanbeyan man died after his vehicle swerved across three lanes of oncoming traffic on Adelaide Avenue, Deakin yesterday morning before colliding with a brick wall. Officers from the Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Team are continuing investigations to determine the cause of the collision.

    Acting Superintendent for ACT Policing Traffic Operations Peter Davis said the incident is a tragedy for the family and friends of the deceased, and should provide motorists with a warning of just how easily such incidents can occur.

    “Although we are still working to determine the factors that led to this particular collision, such a tragic incident should serve as a reminder to motorists that they need to remain alert when driving, and drive to the road conditions and the posted speed limit,” A/Supt Davis said.

    “In this case, we were extremely fortunate that no other drivers were injured given that the vehicle crossed three lanes of oncoming traffic before coming to a stop. Had there been a speeding motorist approaching, or a driver not paying due attention to the road, the consequences could have been even more dire,” he said.

    “In 2009 we are aiming for a road toll of nine or less, and this can be achieved if members of our community drive responsibly and in accordance with the road rules.”

If you can help the police contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers website on www.act.crimestoppers.com.au

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“In this case, we were extremely fortunate that no other drivers were injured given that the vehicle crossed three lanes of oncoming traffic before coming to a stop.”

My geography might not be so great, but if youre travelling down Adelaide avenue, and cross 3 lanes of traffic, does that not mean you were travelling in the transit lane? Not to mention the gap between ‘oncoming traffic’ lanes of about 50+ meters…

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Alleged kiddy fiddler, alleged victims. Let’s not go there again.

Alleged or not, this person does not belong on the streets.

el: It’s pretty obvious that he’s talking about staying alert because at any time something unexpected could happen, like a car veering across 3 lanes of oncoming traffic. See this paragraph:

“In this case, we were extremely fortunate that no other drivers were injured given that the vehicle crossed three lanes of oncoming traffic before coming to a stop. Had there been a speeding motorist approaching, or a driver not paying due attention to the road, the consequences could have been even more dire,” he said.

bigred said :

they didn’t charge the charny lad with the high beam offence. Maybe it is OK to dazzle everyone else on the road these days.

Yep. You can have your high beams on all the time, especially when behind someone, and you can also tailgate. These have been removed from the list of things you can’t do on the road.

I got rid of my high beam tailgaters by sticking reflectors onto my spare tyre… works a treat.

actually it’s the same house that burnt last year. no wonder it’s “suspicious”

tylersmayhem9:40 am 18 Feb 09

Hang on…hang on – WHO had a heart attack?

el said :

Heart attack. ‘Complacent’ or not, there’s not much you can do in this situation.

What’s the bet this incident will be included in the statistics used to justify more speed cameras.

they didn’t charge the charny lad with the high beam offence. Maybe it is OK to dazzle everyone else on the road these days.

el said :

Heart attack. ‘Complacent’ or not, there’s not much you can do in this situation.

Hopefully he meant “don’t drive complacently because at any time someone could die at the wheel of a moving vehicle near you”. Still, it doesn’t leave much time to react.

that’s the second suspicious fire on weingarth street in the last few months…

gun street girl8:27 pm 17 Feb 09

el said :

Tooks: Exactly. He was trying to ram home the ‘road safety’ message, inspite of the fact the driver was likely unconcious before veering across the median strip. Pretty poor form IMHO…

+1. Not nice for the family to have the situation held up in such a light.

Jeez, 38! I’ve got a year on him. Hope it was quick.

Instant Mash7:40 pm 17 Feb 09

Bloody drunk teenagers, giving Charny an even worse name…

Woody Mann-Caruso6:19 pm 17 Feb 09

Alleged kiddy fiddler, alleged victims. Let’s not go there again.

el said :

Tooks: Exactly. He was trying to ram home the ‘road safety’ message, inspite of the fact the driver was likely unconcious before veering across the median strip. Pretty poor form IMHO…

and this can be achieved if members of our community drive responsibly and in accordance with the road rules.”

I feel for his family. 38 is too young.

i agree. it is. horrible way to go.

good to see that the judiciary thinks a kiddy fiddler is ok to release on bail. wonder what he will do till the court appearance? wonder what his victims will do? should have kept him in till trial.

Tooks: Exactly. He was trying to ram home the ‘road safety’ message, inspite of the fact the driver was likely unconcious before veering across the median strip. Pretty poor form IMHO…

and this can be achieved if members of our community drive responsibly and in accordance with the road rules.”

I feel for his family. 38 is too young.

@5 +1.

My thoughts are with the family. This gentleman should not be held up as some sort of manic motorist, which the Police comments infer. ‘There but for the grace of God…..’

I don’t think he was talking about heart attacks.

Acting Superintendent for ACT Policing Traffic Operations Peter Davis said the incident is a tragedy for the family and friends of the deceased, and should provide motorists with a warning of just how easily such incidents can occur.

Heart attack. ‘Complacent’ or not, there’s not much you can do in this situation.

tylersmayhem4:58 pm 17 Feb 09

He’ll just do a few laps in the pool at the Alex M summer home and after that a few games of indoor B Ball, then he’ll be goneskys and out to re-offend.

Yes – throw the book at him!

He was bailed from the Regional Watch house and will face the ACT Children’s Court on Monday, February 23, 2009 on numerous charges including dangerous driving, unlicensed driving, not stop vehicle when requested by police, exceed the prescribed concentration of alcohol in blood (special driver) and not stop and give assistance.

… what about underage drinking? Throw the damn book at him.

tylersmayhem4:04 pm 17 Feb 09

The man was released on bail and will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on February 23.

Bail? Are you f**king kidding me?!

Police conducted a search of the area before attending a Charnwood residence where they arrested a male youth in relation to the incident.

Sounds pretty straight forward to me.

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