A video recently surfaced showing police apprehending a man driving a grey Mazda 3, marked with yellow Learner plates, as they shouted commands for him to exit the vehicle. The man, dressed in a yellow hi-vis shirt and blue shorts, was seen face down on the ground, handcuffed by officers. During the arrest, one officer reported that they had a suspect in custody, who was bleeding from his arms and shirt.
As the police secured the scene, they discovered a loaded firearm within the Mazda. Initial investigations revealed that the car was stolen in a violent incident in which the 41-year-old driver from Tewantin allegedly caused a six-vehicle pile-up on the Bruce Highway. The collision resulted in a tragic death: a 22-year-old woman from Upper Mount Gravatt, a passenger in another vehicle, lost her life as a consequence of the crash.
Following the vehicle collision, it is alleged that the man exited his Porsche Macan armed and approached a 62-year-old man in a white SsangYong Rexton who was assisting other victims. A confrontation ensued, resulting in the older man being shot in the arm before the suspect fled the scene in the Rexton. The abandoned vehicle was later discovered overturned in Landsborough.
The investigation highlights the chaos surrounding the incident, with Chief Inspector Jason Overland expressing his disbelief at the events that unfurled, particularly the loss of life. He described the overall situation as tragic and challenging to comprehend.
The learner driver of the Mazda, just 16 years old and under the supervision of her parents, managed to escape unharmed. Overland commented on the potential psychological impact of being threatened with a firearm, yet acknowledged that the weapon was not fired during the incident.
The suspect was arrested shortly thereafter and is currently hospitalised under police custody, facing a slew of serious charges. These include two counts of armed robbery, drug-related offences, and dangerous driving that led to death and injury. The case is set to be mentioned in court today.