“Sovereign citizens” charged after incident in Foster

A GROUP of four self-described “sovereign citizens” was charged with an assortment of offences, including assaulting police and driving an unregistered vehicle after a protracted and noisy incident on Main Street in Foster on Thursday March 14, 2024.
Victoria Police officers used tasers in an attempt to subdue two of the four people, a 58-year-old man and a 20-year-old man, both from Port Welshpool, after the pair had “placed hands” on one of the officers and a “struggle”ensued.

The two police officers sustained minor injuries as a result of the skirmish.
Victoria Police Korumburra Senior Sergeant Ryan Burns said the incident began at about 10.30 am when a car with no number plates was intercepted and its driver commanded to pull over in Main Street by two Bass Coast Highway Patrol officers. Snr Sgt Burns said the driver, a 58-year-old Port Welshpool woman, was placed under arrest after failing to state her name and address. The woman was heard loudly declaring that she and the other three people, which also included a 20-year-old
Port Welshpool woman, were “sovereign citizens” who did not recognise the Victorian Road Safety Act 1986 nor the authority of the police.

“There was discussion between the officers and the group but when the older man placed his hands on one of the attending police officers, a struggle occurred involving the younger man as well, and the two Highway Patrol officers drew their tasers,” he said.

“The two men were subsequently handcuffed, and the officers sought to maintain negotiations until two more Highway Patrol officers and senior police from Yarram and Korumburra arrived on the scene,” Snr Sgt Burns said.

“Ambulance Victoria officers also attended the incident, as the law requires that anyone who has had a taser used on them has to be checked over. “One police officer sustained a bruised knee and another officer received a wrist injury that needed an x-ray.

“All four people were charged with assaulting police, and the older woman was also charged with a number of traffic offences, including driving an unregistered vehicle, not wearing a seatbelt, and refusing a preliminary breath test,” he said.

“Due to other outstanding matters, the older man was later transported to the Wonthaggi Police Station for processing and was remanded in custody to appear in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court,” Snr Sgt Burns said. “The other three people were released on summons to appear in the Korumburra Magistrates’ Court.”

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