Keira Griffin allegedly evaded four attempts by two separate highway patrols to bring her to a halt before a set of road spikes and a tight left hand bend brought her unstuck.

Griffin was arrested in a paddock at Dunmore Wednesday afternoon, having allegedly spurred her stolen ride on to speeds of up to 150km/h. She faces four pursuit charges – one for each encounter with highway patrol officers – plus a further four charges linked to the episode.  

Clad in lycra activewear, the Campbelltown 30-year-old emerged from the cells at Wollongong Court House on Thursday afternoon, as her lawyer attempted to make a case for her release on bail. 

Police say Griffin was irrational and drug-addled when she chanced upon a panel van with keys in the ignition, on Jaycee Avenue at Nowra about 2pm Wednesday.

The driver – an Australia Post contractor – gave chase as she allegedly drove away. 

Police allege Griffin traveled to a friend’s house at Santuary Point, made an “irrational” request for a set of number plates, collided with a car parked outside and ran over a letter box before decamping.

Shoalhaven Highway Patrol attempted to stop the van as it travelled north on the Princes Highway at South Nowra at 3.37pm. The alleged pursuit was abandoned when Griffin allegedly crossed parallel unbroken lines on Calymea Street at Nowra Hill, in a bid to overtake.

The court heard the chase resumed at 3.46pm on Albatross Road, continuing north, only to be aborted when Griffin allegedly accelerated to 135km/h in a 60km/h zone near the intersection of Yalwal Road. 

Lake Illawarra Highway Patrol then intercepted the van on the Princes Highway at Broughton Creek, north of Berry, at 4.11pm. 

This phase was terminated when Griffin allegedly tried to overtake a truck near Tomlins Road and narrowly avoided a head-on collision.

The court heard the final phase of the pursuit began in the northbound lanes of the Princes Highway at Kiama at 4.20pm, when Lake Illawarra police again engaged.

Griffin allegedly accelerated to 130-150km/h before hitting road spikes laid out on the highway at Bombo. The spikes flatted two tyres – causing at least one to separate from the rim.

But it wasn’t until the van took a sharp left-hand turn on Swamp Road at Dunmore – about 5kms onward – that it crashed through a barbed wire fence and came to a halt. 

A “dreamy” Griffin requested the drug ice and was too impaired to be interviewed back at Lake Illawarra Police Station, police say. 

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Ben Bragger opposed bail in court on Thursday.

“[Griffin] has caused utter mayhem on the road and she's done it [at school pick-up time],” he said. 

“Members of the public and police have been put in extreme danger.” 

Griffin’s solicitor Matt Barnes said his client would undertake not to get behind the wheel if released. 

Magistrate Michael Stoddart refused bail.

“It’s an alarming set of facts in relation to the police pursuit, covering a considerable distance,” he said. 

“Ms Griffin you’re lucky you’re still here and somebody else wasn’t killed.” 

Griffin was cut off mid-sentence as she attempted to further her case from the dock.

“What about police endangering – ” she said. 

The matter returns to court February 23.