Driver, 52, is charged after police find dead body in car

A man is behind bars, waiting to face court over a litany of offences after he was pulled over in Newcastle with a body in his back seat.

The body of a 52-year-old man was discovered in the silver Toyota Camry when the driver, Rodney Clarke, was stopped after 3am on Monday in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton, and reportedly told police he thought his mate was asleep.

The dead man was known to police with detectives investigating whether he could have died of a drug overdose. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

A man is behind bars, waiting to face court over a litany of offences after he was pulled over in Newcastle, north of Sydney, with a man’s dead body in his back seat (pictured)

The body of a 52-year-old man was discovered in the silver Toyota Camry (pictured) when the driver, Rodney Clarke, was stopped after 3am on Monday in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton

The body of a 52-year-old man was discovered in the silver Toyota Camry (pictured) when the driver, Rodney Clarke, was stopped after 3am on Monday in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton

Clarke (pictured) reportedly told police he thought his mate was asleep

Clarke (pictured) reportedly told police he thought his mate was asleep

Clarke, also 52, had been wanted on outstanding – and unrelated – warrants and was taken into custody.

He appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Monday on a raft of charges including having a knife in public, assaulting police, resisting an officer, driving without a licence and failing to appear in court.

It’s believed the car had been in the nearby suburb of Hamilton South before being pulled over in Lambton.

Investigators are yet to determine where Clarke was headed. 

NSW Police wouldn’t comment on media reports the man died of an overdose after taking heroin on Sunday afternoon.

Clarke, also 52, had been wanted on outstanding - and unrelated - warrants and was taken into custody (pictured is the crime scene) 

Clarke, also 52, had been wanted on outstanding – and unrelated – warrants and was taken into custody (pictured is the crime scene) 

NSW Police wouldn't comment on media reports the man died of an overdose after taking heroin on Sunday afternoon 

NSW Police wouldn’t comment on media reports the man died of an overdose after taking heroin on Sunday afternoon 

An autopsy will be performed on Tuesday, but initial reports claim there were not visible marks on the dead man. 

A crime scene was established surrounding the Toyota for several hours after the discovery on Monday morning.

Photos show a blue police tent pitched next to the car on the main street, which appears to be lined with homes.   

Clarke didn’t apply for bail and it was formally refused. He is scheduled to reappear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday.

A crime scene was established surrounding the Toyota for several hours after the discovery on Monday morning (pictured)

A crime scene was established surrounding the Toyota for several hours after the discovery on Monday morning (pictured)

 

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