The horrible images from the dashboard camera inside a stolen Audi R8 show the car turning to the opposite side of the traffic as it passes through suburban streets at 160 km / h.
The high-performance vehicle was parked in front of a couple’s home in Newcastle when it was stolen just before 3 pm on December 20.
When the vehicle left Mereweather’s home, the panel’s camera automatically turned on, capturing the thief’s dangerous journey of joy.
Images from Dash’s camera, taken from inside a stolen Audi, captured the car passing in front of vehicles and passing stop signs during a dangerous drive in Newcastle
The car passed through the city, passing red traffic lights (one in the photo) and going in and out of the lanes
The images posted online show the driver running down the road, crossing the opposite lane of high-speed traffic to overtake other cars.
The supercar comes close to hitting head-on with other drivers, before quickly returning to the correct track.
The engine can be heard roaring as the sports car passes through suburban streets, passing through several stops and giving signs of passing at speeds close to 100 km above the speed limit.
When the car reaches a traffic light, the driver swerves in front of the opposite lane of traffic to turn right, almost colliding with a four-wheel drive vehicle.
The car continues to accelerate along the road, skidding around curves, avoiding bumps and honking at other vehicles as it passes through the stop signs.
At a certain point, the driver stops, while smoke rises from the front of the vehicle and urges pedestrians to get into the car.
– Come on, man, get in here! he cries.
Owners Luke and Bec (pictured) said they estimated the damage to the Audi was $ 100,000
The Audi R8 was stolen from a Mereweather home in Newcastle on December 20 (stock image)
When they refuse, he drives down the road, makes a U-turn and runs back towards them, forcing the group to jump on the sidewalk out of the Audi’s path.
The car continues its exciting journey through Newcastle, advancing through the red headlights, hitting the bottom of the gutters and almost colliding with other cars, before the driver stops in a garage to show the vehicle to friends.
The man then takes the car to another property, opens a side gate and takes it out to the yard.
Owners Luke and Bec, who bought the Audi just three months ago, immediately notified the police and managed to track the vehicle with the help of the Facebook community.
Luke said he estimated the damage at about $ 100,000.
– He totally messed up this car. [Going] 87km / h it reached gutters on both sides. Go up one and then the other, ‘he told 9News.
‘Imagine if he hit someone at 120km / h through that stop sign.’
Three days later, police arrested Darren Johns, 49, at a home in Nooroo Close, Windale.
He was taken to the Belmont police station and charged with car theft, reckless driving, dangerous driving, unlicensed driving and breaking and entering a house to steal more than $ 60,000.
The driver stopped beside a group of pedestrians and asked them to get in the car for a ride
The car continued to accelerate through the city, dangerously violating the rules of the road and almost colliding with several other vehicles
The police will claim that he committed several traffic crimes, including crossing double white lines to overtake vehicles, driving on the wrong side of the road and accelerating about 160 km / h in an area of 60 km / h.
He was denied bail to appear at the Newcastle Local Court on December 24.
Newcastle police commander Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey said the Johns’ horrendous driving was one of the worst examples of dangerous driving he has ever seen.
“It is dangerous to drive to an extreme level – accelerate in residential areas and stop signs, at crosswalks,” he said.
‘Travel more than 160 km / h in built areas, overtaking other drivers on uninterrupted double lines and crossing to the wrong side of the road.
“This way of driving puts dozens of lives at risk.”
Darren Johns (pictured), 49, was arrested three days later and faces several charges in connection with the incident