A dangerous fugitive who mowed down a South Australian police officer during a violent confrontation at Tailem Bend has been jailed for almost a decade. Constable Liam Bennett survived after Daniel Crutchfield drove over his legs at the end of a marathon police chase in 2024. The officer suffered serious physical and psychological injuries and continues to feel the impact.
Police Association Responds
Police Association president Wade Burns said Bennett had been through significant trauma, with the incident affecting every part of his life. “Today we’ve seen a sentence that is far more aligned to community expectations,” he told 7NEWS. “In this instance which was a despicable offence, and it deserves jail time.”
Crutchfield, 32, pleaded guilty to endangering the life of a police officer. His eight‑year sentence was welcomed by the union, which has long pushed for tougher penalties for attacks on serving officers. Bennett, who was newly married at the time, has not returned to frontline duties.
The Police Association said the case highlighted the brazen nature of offending, noting that Crutchfield had deliberately run over a police officer and questioning what he might do to a member of the public. Crutchfield will be eligible to apply for parole in five years and six months.
