Shocking footage of a motorist fleeing a police officer after being pulled over has sparked outrage among Australians who have criticised his behaviour.
The 32-year-old driver filmed the incident on his phone after he was stopped by Queensland Highway Patrol in Brisbane in May.
An officer was seen speaking through the driver’s window and explained to the driver that the car appeared to be unregistered.
“Do you have your driver’s license?” he asked.
“No, I’m going to get on with my day,” the driver replied before starting to drive away.
The frustrated officer yelled at the driver and demanded that he stop his vehicle.
“No, you’re under arrest!” he said.
The driver replied: “See you later, brother.”
An alleged unregistered driver filmed himself driving away from a police officer (pictured) during a traffic stop.
The man continued filming as the officer got into his car and turned on his lights and siren, likely preparing to pursue the driver.
The alleged unregistered driver tried to remain calm, saying “Bless his little heart” while eating a strawberry.
However, onlookers were quick to point out the driver’s shaking hand, a clear sign of stress.
“Your hands are shaking while holding that strawberry, bro,” one said.
“Shaky hand with strawberry,” wrote another along with laughing emojis.
Other commentators called the driver an “idiot” for filming and sharing the incident.
“He turns a simple traffic violation into a criminal offense and records everything… Yeah, he’s clever,” wrote one.
“I suspect he was arrested moments after the video ended,” said another.
“Haha then records himself playing with a mobile phone and eating while driving, as well as evading police,” wrote another.
Drivers who fail to comply with an officer’s traffic rules in Queensland face a $5,500 fine or 50 days behind bars.
Meanwhile, the fine for driving an unregistered car ranges from $313 to $417, depending on the size of the vehicle’s engine.
Queensland Police released a statement saying the diver had been issued several infringement notices for allegedly failing to comply with police orders.
‘It will be alleged that on May 12, police were conducting patrols on Mount Cotton Road in Sheldon shortly before 2pm when they intercepted an unregistered Nissan Patrol,’ it reads.
The alleged unregistered driver tried to remain calm, saying “Bless his little heart” while eating a strawberry.
‘The driver stopped but did not comply with the officer’s instructions and fled the scene.
‘It will further be alleged that the following day police attempted to intercept the same Nissan Patrol on Tilley Road in Gumdale.
‘The driver initially stopped, but fled again before police could approach the vehicle.’
The driver was identified as a 32-year-old man from Algester.
“The man attended Capalaba Police Station the following day on May 14 and was issued with a summons to appear on two counts of evading police and two counts of driving without a driver’s licence (SPER suspended),” Queensland Police said.
‘He was originally due to appear at Cleveland Magistrates’ Court on June 26.
‘He was also issued with Traffic Infringement Notices, including two TINs for driving an unregistered vehicle ($495 x2), driving without insurance ($619 x2), using licence plates issued to another vehicle ($123 x2), and one TIN each for driver using a hand-held mobile phone ($1,161) and failing to keep left of double solid lines ($278).’
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