A police officer wrestles with a fugitive, who's just emerged from a lake. Photo: Dean Marzolla

Silence was broken one night by sirens and the whirring of a low flying helicopter. The police chopper, with searchlights blazing, honed in on the lake-front park lands at Wattle Grove.

I grabbed my Police scanner and camera and went to see what was unfolding. The police chatter on the scanners told me the guy they were chasing was last seen in the lake waters and a mention of the nearby shopping centre.

Moving closer, I noticed a person creeping from the bird island bushes and into its murky waters.  Click, click, I had the shot, but the drama was far from over…

On the run in the freezing water

Spotting two police officers nearby, I yelled out and showed them where the bloke was about to climb out of the water.

One of the officers came over on his own. For some reason his partner decided not to follow him.

The officer grabbed the guy has he came out of the water and the two of them started wrestling on the bank of the lake.

I stepped back to keep taking photos, clicking away as the two of them battled. The policeman appeared to be smaller than the offender, who was also slippery after coming out of the lake.

They ended up on the ground, the offender tried to get up, and the cop held on, pulling him down again. 

Moments before Dean drops his camera to help

Click, click, I got some great frames as an officer wrestled, then noticed the offender with his hand reaching near the officers gun. At that point the officer seemed overpowered several times and I had to react. I thought, I’m standing right here, the last thing I need is for someone to start shooting when I’m standing right here.

The offender was up on his knees when I dropped the camera and went in. I helped to throw this guy to the ground and the policeman got on top of him.

It was then the police chopper spotted us and trained the search lights on us. Other police officers arrived on the scene to help.

In the chaos someone trod on my camera, breaking the flash, but the powerful light shining from above helped me get more pictures as the violent offender was led away.
 
In the end his effort to avoid arrest was far more serious than the reason they police were after him in the first place – he was wanted for vandalism.

Finally he's in custody

4 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • kenoath says:

      04:15pm | 12/06/09

      Photo Number 2:  Who said Stargate was just a story . . . here they come!

    • MartinG says:

      05:09pm | 04/08/09

      Whatever happened to ‘“homed” in on ...’

    • Ben says:

      04:29pm | 14/10/09

      Great story, good to see you got to be involved and get some great shots. Well done.

    • weight loss pill says:

      06:27pm | 14/12/10

      Manner Region,fight can expert competition powerful these action head arise but answer on text mention well nature feature debate derive then thus urban right capable audience opposition variation director interest notion position throw stage person machine watch evening explanation decide strength purpose however point into inside maintain conclusion bear maybe audience district instruction unable office cover institute these material master photograph active assess nearly couple than card exhibition proper feeling government red including provision chapter upper concern used centre health off outside hold equipment close fruit commitment

 

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

ToryShepherd

Ugh. RT @Colvinius: Lord Monckton urging mining owners to buy up papers & TV stations for political influence http://t.co/xRUgErn5

ToryShepherd

@JohnHillMP it's a spectacular part of the world

ToryShepherd

RT @JohnHillMP: “@ToryShepherd: Star of Greece #happinesshttp://t.co/rPrvB4sL” Welcome to my electorate. #enjoy!

ToryShepherd

Star of Greece #happinesshttp://t.co/faYa2ZWq

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

Gillard’s mapping a route but will probably still be routed

Gillard’s mapping a route but will probably still be routed

Julia Gillard and her advisers believe they can see a narrow path to victory for Labor at the next federal…

Kevin 2.0 could be better. Or it could be even KRuddier.

Kevin 2.0 could be better. Or it could be even KRuddier.

As key moments go, it ranked with Gough Whitlam’s dramatic dismissal speech branding Malcolm Fraser…

Working women need to escape the grog bog

Working women need to escape the grog bog

Can you hear a faint sort of teeth-grindy sound? No it’s not the rats in the roof gnawing the wires…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: Other stuff to be angry about today (with video)

DOB says:

For the last 2 summers my local beach - which is a kid's beach really (but it has a nice cafe - thats my excuse) - has been overrun by jetskis. So when I go off for an idyllic morning of sun and sand I might as well just go down to an industrial plant and soak up the noise and fumes. My area is a bit… [read more]

From: Match of the century!

Pete says:

Since when has Australia been a land full of whinging, whiney and just plain annoying people. Seriously, we have to take a long hard look at ourselves and notice that we have it pretty damn good and that instead of whinging about every single article ever written we could perhaps be happy and enjoy things.… [read more]

Gentle jabs to the ribs

No wuckin forries. These nuckin futs are tuckin fops

No wuckin forries. These nuckin futs are tuckin fops

Well, puck me with a fitchfork. The F-word is apparently an acceptable part of Australian speech. That’s… Read more

147 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter