ACT Policing is seeking to confirm the identity of the driver who fled in his vehicle into bushland off Uriarra Rd, near Stromlo early this morning, became stuck, then abandoned his car and his female passenger.
Around 12.53am today (Saturday, February 9), police observed a maroon Toyota LandCruiser 4WD wagon disobey a red light in Phillip.
Police activated warning lights and siren and attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle but the driver failed to comply, and completed a U-turn across the median strip on Melrose Drive.
The driver then turned onto Hindmarsh Drive toward Duffy, and continued to flee from police at speeds of up to 135km/h. On reaching Uriarra Rd at Stromlo, the driver of the Toyota rammed open a locked fire trail gate with the front of his vehicle and proceeded up the trail, where the vehicle struck another steel gate. Some 400 metres further on, the driver attempted to do a U-turn and became stuck.
The driver abandoned his car and ran into the bush. A Police K9 team was deployed to the area but the driver has not yet been located. The female passenger in the Toyota was conveyed to Woden Police Station and later released without charge.
Police are urging anyone who may have seen a male walking in the outer Stromlo area, or Uriarra Rd, or may have picked up a male hitchhiker in the early hours of this morning in that area, to assist with enquiries by providing details to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via act.crimestoppers.com.au.
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