A head-on collision on Pittwater Road near Brookvale Oval sent one man to hospital and led to another being arrested and charged after he allegedly returned positive results for alcohol, cocaine and methylamphetamine.
Emergency services were called to the scene just after 9.30pm on Sunday 24 May, where a white 2001 Toyota LandCruiser carrying Queensland number plates and an orange 2018 Volkswagen Polo had collided head-on.
NSW Police officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command attended alongside NSW Ambulance paramedics and firefighters from Dee Why Station, finding the front ends of both vehicles heavily damaged and airbags deployed throughout. It was not immediately clear whether one of the vehicles had been turning across traffic or had crossed the median strip.
The collision and its aftermath
Two occupants were in the LandCruiser, understood to be a man and a woman both in their 20s, and one man was in the VW Polo. Paramedics assessed all three at the scene. The 26-year-old Polo driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to Northern Beaches Hospital in a stable condition. The occupants of the LandCruiser were assessed but did not require hospital transport.
Officers subjected both drivers to roadside breath testing at the scene. The 28-year-old male driver of the LandCruiser allegedly returned a positive reading and was arrested. He was taken to Dee Why Police Station, where further breath analysis returned an alleged blood alcohol reading of 0.095.
An oral fluid sample was also taken for drug testing purposes, which allegedly returned positive results for both cocaine and methylamphetamine.
The charges he faces
The 28-year-old was charged under Section 110(4) of the Road Transport Act for driving with a middle range prescribed concentration of alcohol, commonly referred to as a middle range PCA. This offence carries an automatic licence disqualification of 12 months. He was granted bail and issued a Court Attendance Notice to appear at Manly Local Court on Wednesday 17 June 2026.
Additional charges relating to the alleged presence of drugs in his system are expected to follow once further testing is completed. Police confirmed they are awaiting those results. Depending on the outcome, charges will be laid under either Section 111 or Section 112 of the Road Transport Act.
If it is his first offence, either charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 18 months imprisonment and a fine of up to $3,300.
Road closed, then cleared
Northbound lanes of Pittwater Road were closed for the duration of the incident, with traffic diverted through Old Pittwater Road, Beacon Hill Road and Warringah Road. Southbound traffic ran on a single lane past the crash site. Tow trucks removed both vehicles and the road fully reopened by 10.15pm, less than an hour after emergency services first arrived.
Pittwater Road is one of the Northern Beaches’ main arterial routes, carrying significant volumes of traffic between Dee Why, Brookvale, Narrabeen and suburbs further north. The stretch near Brookvale Oval sees consistent traffic flow on weekend nights.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Northern Beaches Police Area Command or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au.
Published 25-May-2026
