Man jailed for running over and seriously injuring SA Police officer
Wade Burns (left) welcomed the penalty imposed by the court for the offending which injured Senior Constable Liam Bennett (right). (ABC News: Eva Blandis)
In short:
A man who ran over a police officer at Tailem Bend on Christmas Eve in 2024 has been jailed for eight years.
Daniel Henry Crutchfield was on the run from authorities in Victoria when he mowed down Senior Constable Liam Bennett, leaving the officer with serious injuries.
What's next?
SA's Police Association says the sentence, which means Crutchfield will be eligible to apply for parole in June 2030, reflects community expectations.
South Australia's Police Association has welcomed an eight-year jail term imposed on a meth-fuelled man who mowed down and seriously injured a police officer on Christmas Eve 2024.
Daniel Henry Crutchfield, 32, was jailed after previously pleading guilty in SA's District Court to an aggravated charge of endangering life and several other offences including serious criminal trespass and possessing a restricted firearm.
Crutchfield was on the run from police in Victoria when he ran over Senior Constable Liam Bennett at a service station in Tailem Bend, south-east of Adelaide, leaving him with serious injuries including a "permanent disfigurement" to his leg.
In sentencing, Judge Emily Telfer said Crutchfield came to the attention of police earlier that day after he stole guns from a rural property.
Daniel Henry Crutchfield was sentenced in South Australia's District Court. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
She said Senior Constable Bennett had deployed oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, also known as pepper spray, on Crutchfield before he got into his car and ran him over.
"You started the car and you revved it loudly. You suddenly and quickly reversed, colliding into the police utility vehicle parked behind you," she said.
"You accelerated hard and sped forward, turning the vehicle to where officer Bennett was standing.
"He could not move fast enough to get out of your way.
"The car that you were driving collided with his waist and he fell to the ground and rolled."
Judge Telfer said Crutchfield had told the court he was "attempting to escape" and that his "eyesight was impaired by the effects of the OC spray".
"It was daylight and there could've been no confusion about the fact that there were numerous police officers in your immediate vicinity," Judge Telfer said.
"You were also under the influence of methamphetamine."
Judge Emily Telfer says the injured officer lives with a permanent disfigurement. (ABC News)
Judge Telfer said Senior Constable Bennett sustained multiple injuries including a permanent disfigurement to his leg, a fractured middle finger, bruising to the bones in both legs and a ligament tear in his foot.
"Officer Bennett now lives with a permanent disfigurement to his lower leg from the injuries that your actions caused," she said.
Judge Telfer said Crutchfield's charge of endangering life was aggravated because "the victim was a police officer acting in the course of his official duties".
"The courts have repeatedly emphasised that police officers perform a critical role in the public interest, and the courts must do what they can to protect them,"she said.
Judge Telfer jailed Crutchfield for six years, three months and 19 days for the act of endangering life and for a further year, eight months and 13 days for his other offences.
The total sentence imposed was eight years and two days, with a non-parole period of five years and six months.
The sentence was backdated to when he was taken into custody on December 24, 2024 meaning he will be eligible for release on parole in June 2030.
Crutchfield has also been suspended from driving for seven years after he is released from jail.
Wade Burns (left) says the crime against Senior Constable Liam Bennett (right) is particularly serious. (ABC News: Eva Blandis)
Outside court, South Australian Police Association president Wade Burns said the sentence reflected "community expectations".
"Today, we've seen a sentence that is far more aligned to community expectations. It was a heinous crime that has deserved jail time," he said.
"This incident shows the brazen nature of offending where this person has deliberately run over a police officer."
Mr Burns said the offending was particularly serious as it targeted someone who was "simply going to work to do their job to look after the community of South Australia".