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POLICE have arrested a 27-year-old Lithgow man following a car chase throughout Portland on Saturday.
At 4.30pm witnesses reported seeing a Holden Commodore station wagon leave the Portland Foodworks supermarket in an erratic manner and drive directly into a tree.
The collision dislodged the vehicle’s bumper bar but failed to stop the driver who then allegedly reversed back onto the road and drove at speed along Williwa Street performing a continuous burnout.
A patrolling police crew spotted the vehicle and gave chase, prompting a brief pursuit through Lett Street in which the driver was able to elude police for a short time.
There were many startled witnesses to the chase and police were aided in their pursuit by the bystanders who pointed them in the Commodore's direction.
Police caught up with the vehicle again after noticing a thick dust cloud rising from around a bend on Williwa Street.
They found the Commodore had collided heavily with an embankment and had come to a rest on its side.
The driver exited the vehicle as police approached and fled into a nearby residential block on Williwa Street.
Police continued their pursuit on foot and chased him into grounds of St Joseph's Catholic School where the offender eventually surrendered.
He was forced to the ground, handcuffed and arrested but claimed to be suffering chest pains and was attended by Lithgow paramedics before being transported to Lithgow Hospital under a police guard.
The offender was assessed and released back into police custody a short time later where he declined to make any statement when interviewed.
Police allegedly recovered a small bag containing a prohibited substance in the offender's vehicle along with a substantial amount of cash.
The man was charged with possession of a prohibited substance and multiple driving offences and will appear at Lithgow Local Court next month.