Hunters Hill car chase: Sean Matthews charged for allegedly dragging police officer with Audi during high speed chase

An L-plater accused of sparking a high-speed chase where a police officer was allegedly dragged along by his luxury car has claimed he was ‘set up’ before telling the magistrate to ‘f*** off’.’

Sean Matthews, 33, from Eastwood was travelling in a silver Audi sedan at ‘excessive speed’ when he allegedly failed to stop for police in Gladesville in Sydney[3]‘s lower North Shore about on Saturday night.

Police gave chase but ended the pursuit because of safety concerns.

The Audi allegedly crossed to the wrong side of the road and collided with a Toyota Kluger with a mother and child inside on Gladesville Road, in Hunters Hill.

Police attempted to pull Matthews out of the car but it is alleged he drove off with an officer hanging on to the side of the vehicle, causing him to dragged for 2-3 metres.

A silver Audi sedan crashed in the Sydney north shore suburb of Hunters Hill on Saturday night

Matthews then allegedly reversed into two approaching officers before the car crashed into a concrete pillar.

During his arrest, Matthews allegedly choked an officer before he was subdued by an off-duty officer and a member of the public.

Two male police officers aged 20 and 33 were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital suffering neck and leg injuries.

Matthews was taken to Gladesville Police Station and was charged with assaulting police in execution of duty causing actual bodily harm, hindering or resisting police and intentionally choking a person with recklessness.

He was also charged with not stopping and driving dangerously during a police pursuit, being an unaccompanied learner driver and not displaying ‘L’ plates correctly.

Representing himself in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday, Matthews claimed that police made the story up because they wanted him ‘to go to jail’ and that he ‘accidentally’ ended up on the wrong side of the road.

Sean Matthews, 33, faces a string of serious charges after allegedly dragging a police officer and resisting arrest

‘They’ve (police) conjured up a story to put me in jail …

I would’ve just lost my licence and gone home,’ Matthews told the court, The Daily Telegraph[4] reported.

‘They attacked me when I got out of the car, I didn’t do anything wrong, I would’ve just lost my licence’.

Matthew also claimed that police have ‘had it in for (him) for ages’.

When asked why he should be granted bail, Matthews claimed he has mental health problems, as well as ‘a lot going on with (his) family’.

Magistrate Estelle Ann Hawdon denied the bail application, citing the seriousness of the police allegations as well as his previous record.

‘Your record does not assist you,’ she said.

Matthews allegedly tried to choke one of the police officers trying to arrest him and was subdued by off-duty police officer and member of the public

‘I accept that you say you have mental health concerns but, I’m sorry, given what are serious allegations, which include two police officers being hospitalised as a result of this, I have no option but to refuse you bail’.

Matthews replied: ‘Mate, show me the evidence, what am I going to jail for?’ before telling Ms Hawdon to ‘f*** off’.

Matthews will reappear again in court on Tuesday.

The junior probationary officer, 20, taken to hospital with leg injuries has since been released.

His colleague 33, remains in hospital suffering from abrasions and neck injuries.

‘It’s always concerning.

We as police officers are aware of the inherent risk involved,’ acting Superintendent Traci Watts told reporters on Sunday.

References

1. ^ Road rage horror (www.dailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ David Southwell For Daily Mail Australia (www.dailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ Sydney (www.dailymail.co.uk)
4. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.dailytelegraph.com.au)