Ute Rams Mudgee Police Station During Officer’s Retirement Ceremony
In an act of audacious defiance, a 67-year-old man, Donny Hobbs, has been charged after allegedly ramming his ute into the historic Mudgee Police Station in central-western New South Wales yesterday afternoon. The incident unfolded dramatically amidst a retirement ceremony for a veteran detective, an event that saw dozens of officers gathered inside the very building that was targeted.
Police allege Hobbs deliberately drove his vehicle at officers patrolling near the Market Street station around 1:30 PM. Moments later, he allegedly accelerated towards another officer exiting the station before smashing into the Heritage-listed premises.
Superintendent Tim Chinn, Commander of the Orana Mid-Western Police District, revealed the chilling proximity of danger. “There was a member of the public in the inquiry counter area… also there were a couple of police officers on the other side of the counter, so they were quite close as well,” he stated, adding it was “very fortunate no person was injured.” The crash occurred as approximately 50 police officers were celebrating the nearly four-decade career of Detective Senior Constable Scott Whale.
Hobbs, identified in court as a suspected “sovereign citizen,” appeared before the court today and was refused bail by Acting Judge Howard Bell, who deemed him an “unacceptable risk.” Police prosecutor Simon Steward informed the court of Hobbs’s animosity towards police, citing an alleged pre-crash warning: “I’ll be back when I drive through the place.” Steward asserted, “It wasn’t some sort of impulsive act. It was a planned offending… showing that he has a clear capacity and willingness to commit serious offences.”
Despite the chaos, Detective Senior Constable Whale’s ceremonial march out proceeded later that afternoon. Superintendent Chinn noted the stark reality of policing: “It was indicative of policing — you can’t predict what actually happens. The officers still celebrated his retirement and those proceedings went ahead. It was a good outcome in the end.”
Mudgee Police Station remains temporarily closed, with structural assessments underway to determine the extent of the damage to the Heritage-listed building. Customer service operations have been moved to a temporary bus outside the station, with nearby stations supplementing services. Support has been provided to all affected officers and staff following the concerning incident.