Police have released dramatic body-worn camera video of the moment a man was arrested after allegedly causing the death of an innocent 22-year-old woman in a multi-vehicle crash and stealing two cars at gunpoint on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast yesterday.
The video shows police approach a grey Mazda 3 with yellow Learner plates, screaming at the driver to “get down, get down, out of the car now, get down, hands behind your back!”
A man, wearing what appears to be a yellow hi-vis shirt and blue shorts, is then shown face down on the ground as he is handcuffed by officers.
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“We got one in custody, hands behind his back, bleeding, over,” an officer is heard saying into a radio.
Blood can be seen on the man’s arms and shirt.
The video later shows an officer, wearing blue gloves, inspect a firearm found in the Mazda 3.
”We got one in the chamber, loaded and cocked,” he said.
Police allege the Mazda 3 was the second vehicle stolen at gunpoint by 41-year-old Bradley Donald Towle from Tewantin after he fled the scene of a six-vehicle pile-up he caused in southbound lanes of the Bruce Highway near Aussie World at Palmview shortly after midday yesterday.
It’s alleged Towle lost control of his Porsche Macan and hit a Nissan Micra, killing a 22-year-old woman from Upper Mount Gravatt, who was a passenger.
The 22-year-old driver of the Nissan, from Strathpine, also suffered minor injuries.
Chief Inspector Jason Overland was at a loss yesterday, explaining the “terrible” scene.
“It’s resulted in the death of a young girl,” he said.
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”I’ve given up trying to work out why, it’s just a tragedy and we’re doing all that we can to address what’s left.
“I’m not going to speculate on what causes people to do these things.”
Police said after the crash Towle got out of the Porsche, and approached a white SsangYong Rexton armed with a firearm.
It’s alleged he then fought with the 62-year-old driver, who had started to assist others involved in the crash, before shooting him in the arm and fleeing the scene in the Rexton.
Police found the stolen Rexton rolled on its roof in Landsborough near Forestry Road at 12.35pm.
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Towle then allegedly approached the grey Mazda 3 that was being driven by a 16-year-old learner driver, under instruction from her parents.
The girl and her parents fled on foot and were not physically injured.
“I can’t imagine having a firearm presented and being told to get out of the vehicle wouldn’t have some impact, but, as I understand, the firearm was not discharged,” Overland said.
Towle was arrested at 12.48pm near Steve Irwin Way and remains in hospital under police guard.
He has been charged with a slew of driving, weapons and drugs offences.
The charges include two counts of armed robbery, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of unlawful entry of vehicle for committing indictable offence, as well as dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, dangerous operation of a vehicle adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, going armed as to cause fear, unlawful possession of firearm used to commit indictable offence, possess tainted property, authority required to possess explosives, driver fail to remain at incident, and driving suspended licence.
The matter will be mentioned in court today.
