A Maitland man who crashed a car into a set of traffic lights at East Maitland and fled the scene was suspended from driving and allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time.
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About 4.20pm on Sunday afternoon the 27-year-old was travelling south on the New England Highway when the car he was driving mounted the kerb at the Melbourne Street intersection.
The dark coloured Holden Commodore crashed head on into the traffic lights.
Witnesses told police the driver ran from the scene.
Police began to patrol the area and saw the man jump a fence on Morpeth Road.
They chased him through Maitland Grossmann High School and he was arrested a short time later near Card Crescent.
Police said the man had suffered a head injury in the crash.
Central Hunter duty officer Inspector Tony Joyce said police were thankful for help received from the community.
“A number of witnesses came forward to assist police with the direction of the investigation,” he said. “That assistance from the community was invaluable.”
The man was charged with four offences including driving while suspended, negligent driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and fleeing the scene of a crash.