A disqualified driver accused of crashing a stolen car at high speed while being pursued by police near Bomaderry has been identified in court as 21-year-old Caleb Flentjar.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police will allege they attempted to stop a Holden Commodore being driven by the Wollongong resident just after 3pm on January 29 but the Flentjar drove off at speed, prompting officers to give chase.
The pursuit was terminated a few minutes later due to safety concerns.
A further pursuit was initiated about five minutes later and road spikes were deployed on Bolong Road, with the Commodore colliding with a second vehicle at the intersection of the Princes Highway.
It is alleged Flentjar fled the scene, leaving behind a teenage passenger, who was subsequently arrested and charged with knowingly being carried in a stolen car and not disclosing the driver's identity.
Meanwhile, the passenger in the second car was injured in the crash. He was taken to Shoalhaven Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Officers carried out an extensive search of the area but were unable to locate Flentjar at the time.
The court heard he was arrested on March 2 and charged with nine offences including aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact, two counts of police pursuit, speeding and driving with a disqualified licence.
Flentjar was remanded in custody at the time, without bail.
He did appear in court via video link on Tuesday during a brief mention of his matter by defence lawyer James Howell, who confirmed Flentjar was currently in isolation in prison.
Mr Howell told the court he had begun negotiations with the police about the charges and sought an adjournment to May 24.
The application was granted, with Flentjar expected to indicate pleas to the charges during the next court appearance.
To read more stories, download the Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.
