A 37-year-old man, Matthew Joel Purches, allegedly attempted to evade police by hiding in a creek bed in Albion Park after fleeing a traffic stop in Mount Pleasant. The incident began around 12:30pm on Wednesday when police stopped Purches on New Mount Pleasant Road and conducted breath and drug tests, which allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine.
After being arrested for secondary testing, Purches allegedly accelerated his vehicle, forcing a senior constable to take evasive action to avoid being hit. He then drove away, prompting a significant police response to locate him.
Around 2pm, police allegedly spotted Purches trying to hide in a creek bed on Ashburton Drive in Albion Park. Officers from the Raptor Squad arrested him and took him to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
Purches faces multiple charges, including not carrying a licence while driving, failing to submit to an oral fluid test, using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, resisting a police officer, supplying an indictable quantity of cocaine, and breaching bail. He was refused bail and appeared at Bail Division Court on Thursday.
During the bail hearing, his lawyer, Matt Ward, argued for release, citing Purches' 17 months of compliance on bail, mental health concerns, and three bulging discs in his neck causing significant pain. However, Magistrate Marguerite Vassall noted the alleged offending constituted a significant breach of bail conditions, including drug use and committing offences, and refused bail.
The matter has been adjourned to Wollongong Local Court in February, with Purches referred to Justice Health for his mental and physical health concerns.
