Man dies after cross-border police pursuit ends in NSW northern rivers | New South Wales

New South Wales police have declared a “critical incident” after a man in the northern rivers region died following a police pursuit, hours after the same man allegedly fled from Queensland police while armed.

NSW police said the 25-year-old Queenslander was found unconscious at the wheel of a vehicle heading down an embankment south of Murwillumbah about 2am on Sunday morning.

The white Ford utility first came to the attention of Queensland officers shortly before midnight when members of the public were called to report the presence of an “armed man” on Robina Town Center Drive in Robina on the Gold Coast, according to statements by Queensland and NSW police.

Queensland police said they found the stationary vehicle nearby at about 12.40am.

“Police attempted to detain the driver but he evaded officers and headed east towards the Gold Coast Highway.”

Queensland officers notified NSW police at around 1am that the vehicle was crossing the border. He was spotted a short time later by NSW officers at Banora Point, just south of Tweed Heads.

“Officers ordered the man to stop, but he failed to do so and a pursuit was initiated,” NSW Police said in a statement.

Police used road spikes twice in South Murwillumbah to try to stop the vehicle, which was understood to have continued driving for around 20km before going down the embankment.

When officers arrived at the scene, they “established a perimeter around the Ford before police negotiators were deployed to speak with the man; however, when police approached the vehicle, they found the driver unconscious.”

Police said they tried to perform CPR, but the man died at the scene.

It was stated that a firearm was seized in the vehicle.