A Nowra father of five had to be pepper sprayed to bring him under control after driving a smoking stolen car through Wollongong, colliding into vehicles and smashing two police cars.
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Adam Wellington, 36, pleaded guilty to multiple traffic charges, hindering police and using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention after a joyride in a stolen Audi A4 ended with police using a baton to smash in his window and arrest him.
On Monday, October 31, a man returned home to Blight Street in Wollongong and noticed his grey Audi A4 sedan was stolen from outside his home where he had parked it before spending the weekend away.
About 10am that day, witnesses spotted Wellington driving this car west along Bourke Street in North Wollongong when he collided with a white Volkswagen ute.
This crash caused damage to the rear of the ute and major damage to the front of the Audi.
This didn't concern Wellington however, who continued driving.
Wellington was next spotted pulling into the carpark at Beaton Park Leisure Centre where at low speeds Wellington hit a parked Lexus sedan.
Wellington turned the car around, got out to inspect the damage to the Audi but kept driving.
By 10.20am, locals began calling police about a charcoal coloured vehicle with smoke coming out from underneath the car and driving on Mercury Street with the front windshield smashed in.
According to documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court, witnesses described the driver as appearing drug affected as it headed towards oncoming traffic on Gipps Road in Gwynneville.
Police in the area began patrolling for the vehicle and police in a marked van spotted the car at the corner of Williams Street and Gipps Road. Police pulled up behind Wellington as another police car stopped in front of Wellington, preventing him from escaping.
Then, Wellington drove the car forwards, smashing into the police car in front before putting the car in reverse and colliding with the police van behind him. Wellington then repeatedly rammed the police car in front.
Police got out of the van and tried to open the Audi's driver side door, which was locked, as they were doing this, Wellington continued to try and escape, continually putting the car in drive and reverse.
Then, police used a baton to smash the driver's side window and pepper sprayed Wellington before he was pulled from the car and arrested.
While Wellington returned a negative breath test, according to court documents police believe Wellington was likely under the influence of illicit drugs and is a known user of cannabis, heroin and methamphetamines.
Wellington was later taken to Wollongong Hospital before being discharged and taken into custody.
In Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday Wellington entered pleas of guilty to the charges and was refused bail. Wellington will be sentenced in November.
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