Police have charged six people with driving-related offences and public health order breaches after reports of dangerous driving and burnouts after a funeral in Batemans Bay last week.
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Officers attached to South Coast Police District initiated an investigation after receiving reports of several motorists conducting burnouts near a cemetery on the Princes Highway at Batemans Bay last Tuesday, September 21.
Following inquiries, including the viewing of videos uploaded to social media, Far South Coast Highway Patrol officers attended several homes in Batemans Bay and Moruya last Thursday, September 23.
A 20-year-old man was arrested at a home in Malua Bay where his white Ford utility was seized.
The man was taken to Batemans Bay Police Station and charged with driving while disqualified, aggravated burnout, driving in a dangerous manner, filming a burnout, not complying with Public Health Orders, not complying with face covering, and possessing a prohibited drug.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday, October 18.
A 24-year-old man was arrested at a home in Batemans Bay where his motorcycle was seized by police.
He was charged with driving while disqualified, aggravated burnout, driving in a dangerous manner, not wearing a helmet, and having an unregistered, uninsured, and unauthorised number plate.
He was also issued a PIN for not complying with the Public Health Order and not wearing a fitted face covering. He was also granted bail to appear in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday, October 18.
A 29-year-old Moruya man was issued a Court Attendance Notice for aggravated burnout, driving in a dangerous manner, driving with an expired license, and failing to comply with the Public Health Order. He will appear in Moruya Local Court on Friday, October 8.
A 19-year-old Batemans Bay man was also issued a Court Attendance Notice for aggravated burnout and driving in a dangerous manner. He will appear in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday, October 18.
A sergeant from the Far South Coast Highway Patrol told the Bay Post two other people had also been charged with offences relating to the incident.
"As a result of numerous breaches to the Road Transport Act and the Public Health Order at a funeral at the Batemans Bay Cemetery, Batemans Bay Highway Patrol and the Southern Traffic Group initiated an investigation based on footage on a number of social media platforms," the sergeant said.
"On Thursday, police have arrested and charged six persons, and have confiscated four vehicles comprising of one utility and three motorcycles.
"These incidents can best be described as selfish, as well as being disrespectful due to the offences being conducted within the confines of the cemetery.
"The actions of hose involved posed an extreme risk to a number of people who were in the vicinity, and they are very fortunate there were no injuries."
