A stolen electric vehicle allegedly reached speeds of almost 170km/h during a wild cross-border police pursuit before crashing into cars, fences and palm trees at Fingal Head, after which the offender tried to swim away.
Highway Patrol officers were alerted about 1.30pm on Sunday 31 May 2026 that a stolen BYD hatchback taken from Bilinga in Queensland was travelling south towards NSW on the Pacific Highway.
Officers attached to Tweed/Byron Highway Patrol began searching for the vehicle before locating it about 10 minutes later near the Kennedy Drive off-ramp at Fingal Head.
Police directed the driver to stop; however, officers will allege the hatchback accelerated away, sparking a pursuit.
During the chase, police allege the BYD reached speeds of 168km/h in a 100km/h zone as it travelled through the border region.
The pursuit continued towards Chinderah after the vehicle exited onto Fingal Road.
Police say the hatchback was then driven onto a footpath along the Tweed River during the pursuit, prompting officers to terminate the chase due to safety concerns.
A short time later, Queensland Police PolAir tracked the vehicle as it allegedly crashed into several fences, gardens and parked cars along Fingal Road before finally coming to a stop after slamming into two palm trees.
When officers arrived, the alleged driver had fled on foot and was swimming across the Wommin Lagoon in an attempt to escape arrest.
A 28-year-old man was arrested on Lagoon Road a short time later.
He was taken to Tweed Valley Hospital for mandatory testing and treatment for an unrelated arm injury before being charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h, breaching licence conditions and failing to provide particulars to the owner of damaged property.
The man was refused bail and appeared before Bail Division Local Court 1 on Monday 1 June.
Police inquiries into the incident are continuing.
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