Man refused bail on traffic, drugs and firearm offences following Wickham crash
By Matthew Kelly
Updated January 15 2025 - 1:03pm, first published 1:00pm
📷 The overturned police car in Albert St, Wickham. Picture by Marina Neil.
A 26-year-old man has been refused bail on traffic, drug and firearm charges following a pursuit and crash outside the Wickham Park Hotel on Tuesday evening.
Aaron James Forster of Woodberry did not enter pleas to 11 offences during a brief appearance in Newcastle Local Court.
The pursuit began shortly after 6pm on Tuesday when police attempted to stop a Ford Everest on Acacia Avenue, Waratah, which had been reported stolen from a Cooks Hill address earlier in the day.
A pursuit was initiated when the vehicle failed to stop.
The pursuit continued throughout several suburbs before allegedly driving through a red traffic light at the intersection of Fern Street and Maitland Road, Wickham, colliding with a motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider - a 27-year-old man - suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene by paramedics.
The vehicle allegedly continued to Albert Street where it collided with a police vehicle, causing the police vehicle to roll onto its side.
No police officers were injured.
The stolen vehicle was immobilised as a result of the crash and the driver and passenger ran from the car.
Following a foot pursuit, police arrested Forster, who police allege was a passenger in the vehicle.
Police allege Forster discarded a backpack shortly before his arrest. It allegedly contained a shortened firearm, $2175 cash, and amounts of methamphetamine and cannabis.
📷 Police inspect the damaged motorbike. Picture by Marina Neil.
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with 1:
- Possess shortened firearm without authority,
- Possess loaded firearm public place,
- Not keep firearm safely,
- Use, supply, acquire, possess stolen firearm or part,
- Possess unauthorised firearm,
- Goods in personal custody suspected being stolen,
- Be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner,
- Hinder or rest police in the execution of duty, and
- Three counts of possessing a prohibited drug.
Forster will reappear in Newcastle Court on January 29.
Investigations are continuing to locate the driver.
