Police Update: Mar 8

ACCIDENT AT WOOLOOMA

AT approximately 2:30am yesterday police and ambulance were called to a property at Woolooma on Stewarts Brook road, after the property owner reported that a father and son who had been hunting on the property had been involved in a 4WD accident.

The 46 year old male and his 13 year old son, from Muswellbrook, were found at the bottom of a gully following a ‘vehicle roll over’.

The father had major chest injuries, possible punctured lung, broken ribs, possible fracture to the collar bone and bruising to the back and torso.

The son had a major chest injury – laceration to the right side of his chest.

Police and ambulance arrived at the location at approximately 4:30am and observed the vehicle had extensive damage to the roof and both males were in close proximity to the rear of the vehicle.

Ambulance officers did not have a 4WD vehicle and relied on police to transport them and necessary equipment to the location.

A further ambulance from Muswellbrook attended and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter arrived at 4:50am.

At approximately 6:30am both males were airlifted to the John Hunter Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Further background:

The father and son left home at 2pm on Sunday to hunt on the property and planned to return home at 8pm.

At 12:30 am Monday, when the pair had not returned the mother called the police.

Police contacted the owner of the property and he began the search, while police made their way to the property.

At 2:30am the property owner contacted police to advise he had found the pair, who were in need of medical assistance and the ambulance was called.

They both held a current firearms license and had hunter on the property previously.

HUNTING AT CASSILIS

AT approximately 4:05 am on Sunday police were patrolling Llangollen Road Cassilis due to ongoing concerns with illegal hunting, trespassing, stock disturbance and stealing offences.

Police observed a white Toyota hilux with three males in the cabin of the vehicle, three dogs on the rear tray with several feral pigs hanging.

The vehicle was stopped for a random breath test, which returned a negative result.

Police questioned the men about their activities and the men became verbally abusive stating they got the pigs earlier in the night from a legally permitted hunting area.

The three men, a 25 year old from Albion Park, a 20 year old and 27 year old both from Leumeah denied hunting in the area and said they were just driving around Cassilis to have a look for future hunting areas once they obtained permission to hunt.

They admitted they did think about hunting, but saw houses near the road and decided to leave.

Police inspected their dogs, which did not have appropriate identification tags and were issued an infringement notice for dog not wear collar and name tag.