A man has been arrested and charged after a police officer was “thrown over the bonnet” of his police car while trying to stop an alleged petrol thief on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
The accused was arrested on Sunday morning at a Southport home and charged with a string of offences as the officer involved continues his recovery at home.
It will be alleged a Toyota Aurion with stolen Queensland plates 387 ZDO tried to drive away without paying for petrol at the United service station on Frank Street in Labrador about 11.15pm.
Police said the attendant ran out to try to stop the thief fleeing with the $85 worth of petrol, and officers in a passing police car noticed the commotion and pulled into the service station.
The 28-year-old male constable approached the driver’s window to try to remove the keys.
It will be alleged as the officer was walking past the police car’s bonnet, the Toyota driver accelerated, hit him and “threw him over the bonnet of the police car”.
It will be also alleged that after hitting the officer, the thief reversed and then fled west along Robert Street, before crashing into a parked car in Southport, about two kilometres away, and fleeing on foot.
The constable was taken to hospital for treatment of a fractured shoulder, knee and leg injuries and soft-tissue damage.
Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Thomas said on Friday the constable was at home with his wife recovering, but would be on light duties for three months as his recovery continued.
A 52-year-old man has been charged with a long list of offences including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, driving of a motor vehicle without a driver licence, unregistered vehicle, uninsured vehicle, receiving tainted property and fraud.
He was due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on Monday.
Extracted from Brisbane Times