A MAN who allegedly led police on a wild pursuit that ended when his car burst into flames and crashed into bushland at Rankin Park remains in hospital and is still yet to appear in court.
Tui-Lee Bartlett, 27, had his matter mentioned in Newcastle Local Court late last week, but was unable to appear and has still not been able to speak to his lawyers.
Magistrate Caleb Franklin was handed a medical certificate from Corrective Services NSW and adjourned the matter until next year.
Mr Bartlett has not yet entered pleas to charges of police pursuit, using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, driving with a cancelled license and goods in custody.
The matter has been referred to the DPP and was adjourned until January 8, the first day of the new law term, when it was foreshadowed Mr Bartlett may make an application for bail.
When the vehicle failed to stop, police launched a pursuit which had to be terminated due to safety reasons a short time later.
PolAir was brought in to help and the vehicle was tracked to Sygna Close at Rankin Park where a female passenger got out of the vehicle.
An eyewitness detailed a terrifying near-miss with the flaming car, as the driver allegedly tried to evade police.
"As it drove past us a guy was hanging out the passenger side window of the car that was completely engulfed in flames," she said. "He swerved off the road, mounted the sidewalk and drove into the bush - crashing into a tree. As he crashed the car exploded and pieces went flying, we thought pieces of him went flying, but he was ejected out of the window and was laying on the ground."
Mr Bartlett was arrested and taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Police found the female passenger nearby and she was also taken to hospital.
