the damaged fence
Camera Iconthe damaged fence Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Police respond to criticism

Mark DonaldsonWanneroo Times

As reported in the Times last week, Shaun Hayes said the driver appeared “blind drunk” and had been doing burnouts when the vehicle, carrying two passengers, ploughed into the fence on Chinta Street about 6.30am on February 26.

He said it was lucky the car did not go through a wall of the home.

He became frustrated with police after he followed the offenders in his car as they ran from the scene, but was told officers could not attend immediately. As a result, the suspects got away.

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He was further annoyed when police eventually arrived at the crash scene and reversed the abandoned car, which still had the keys inside, out of the rubble, leaving it on the front lawn.

Mr Hayes said this enabled the occupants to return after police had gone and to take the vehicle without being questioned while possibly still under the influence of alcohol.

A police spokeswoman said the driver had given his details to the resident of the damaged home.

She said officers believed the vehicle was not doing burnouts but lost control as it travelled around a bend.

“It would appear instead that speed was a factor in this crash,” she said.

“Police made inquiries into the registered owner of the vehicle and found this person was not the driver.

“The driver was known to the owner, however, and was permitted to drive the car.”

She said the responsibility of removing the abandoned car from the front of the home rested with the vehicle’s owner, not police.

“When police arrived, the officers removed the car from the fence and parked it on the verge to assist the owner of the house,” she said.

Inquiries are continuing.