A 23-year-old Warilla man is being held in custody after his arrest in the early hours of Sunday morning.
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James Jennings has been charged with seven driving-related offences following a police pursuit in the state's Illawarra Region.
Police charged Jennings with: police pursuit - not stop; drive recklessly in manner dangerous; take and drive conveyance without consent of owner; drive vehicle under influence of alcohol; Class A motor vehicle exceed speed greater than 10 km/h; licence expired less than 2 years before, and use offensive weapon in company to prevent detention.
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Jennings was already on bail for other charges at the time of the alleged offending.
He did not apply for bail at Wollongong Bail Court on Sunday morning, and it was formally refused.
He will return to court on Monday, where police will allege about 12.30am Sunday officers attached to Lake Illawarra Highway Patrol were conducting stationary speed enforcement duties at the M1 Motorway, near the Albion Park Rail Bypass, at Yallah, when they detected a Mitsubishi Triton utility travelling at 121km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone.
The driver allegedly failed to stop as directed by police and a pursuit was initiated, travelling along the M1 Motorway at Dapto, before being terminated due to the manner of driving.
With help from PolAir, the vehicle was located at a carpark at George Street, Warilla, just before 1am.
Police allege the driver of the vehicle returned to the Mitsubishi and allegedly accelerated into a grass courtyard in what police say was an attempt to evade police.
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The Mitsubishi travelled west on George Street before stopping at a reserve at Benaud Crescent.
Officers allege they located Jennings hiding in a creek, where he was arrested, and the vehicle seized for further examination. He was taken first to hospital, then to Lake Illawarra Police Station where he was charged.
Police will allege in court Jennings stole the Mitsubishi Triton from a home at Albion Park shortly after midnight on Sunday. Investigations into the incident continue.
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