# Dubbo fatal police pursuit inquest

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/dubbo-fatal-police-pursuit-inquest
> Updated: 2026-08-14T03:21:26.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

A coronial inquest in Dubbo is examining a fatal police pursuit that occurred on April 20, 2024, on the Mitchell Highway. The incident involved a 32-year-old man who drove at high speed on the wrong side of the road, resulting in a head-on collision with a coach carrying 24 passengers.

During the proceedings, police officers expressed remorse for their involvement in the chase. Legal representatives for the officers argued that while they breached internal policies, their actions were not “unreasonable or inappropriate” and were driven by split-second decisions made under pressure. Testimony indicated that the pursuit followed a period where the driver had made threats of self-harm, leading to a temporary cancellation of the chase before the fatal collision occurred.

## Claims

- The police officer involved in the pursuit acted without malice or overreach of power. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Police actions were not compliant with internal policies but were not unreasonable or inappropriate. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- An unnamed man died after hitting a bus on the Mitchell Highway east of Dubbo on April 20, 2024. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The crash followed a low-speed police pursuit that had been terminated due to the driver's threats of self-harm. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-14: Dubbo Coroner's Court hears fatal police pursuit case

A Dubbo Coroner's Court heard that police officers breached policy during a pursuit that ended in a fatal crash, but argued the actions were not malicious and were intended to help the driver.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dubbo-coroners-court-hears-fatal-police-pursuit-case

### 2026-08-04: Dubbo inquest examines fatal police chase that killed driver

At a Dubbo coronial inquest, two officers apologized for a police chase that led to a 32‑year‑old man's death after his car collided with a coach on the Mitchell Highway; Coroner Kasey Pearce stressed seeking ‑

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dubbo-inquest-examines-fatal-police-chase-that-killed-driver

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Cite as: Dubbo fatal police pursuit inquest. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/dubbo-fatal-police-pursuit-inquest