Police allege corporate boss refused blood alcohol tests after hitting five cars

A corporate titan is alleged to have crashed his BMW into five cars in Sydney's east, before refusing two alcohol-detecting breath tests.

NSW Police allege private equity baron Joel Thickins of TPG Capital hit a Mazda then ploughed into four parked cars on Monday night.

The company's website describes Joel Thickins as a partner and the co-head of Asia at TPG and co-managing partner for TPG Capital Asia. (Supplied: TPG)

They allege he refused a breath test on the debris-strewn roadside and then a further breath analysis after he was arrested and taken to Paddington Police Station that evening.

The 48-year-old is the co-head of TPG Asia, which manages more than $US23 billion ($32 billion) in assets. He has been the chair of veterinary company Greencross and funeral behemoth InvoCare.

The resident of York Road in Queens Park, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, heard the commotion on Monday evening, caused by the driver of a BMW i5 — a car that retails for about $170,000.

Police were called to York Road in Queens Park after reports of the crash. (Supplied)

"Multiple bangs, culminating in the big one that stopped the car from moving," he recalled.

"Two cars further up had been sideswiped, the second of the two had been hit hard, which has ended up smashing into the rear end of a parked car."

All up, three cars were towed, he said, with others having less damage.

"I heard a passer-by in the traffic ask the driver if he was OK. 'Yeah I'm OK,'" Mr Corcoran said he heard.

The black BMW was extensively damaged in the crash. (Supplied)

"We had upwards of half a dozen police officers taking statements. One was verbally instructing the driver not to move too far. [He] seemed to be in OK condition, complying with the police officers."

In a statement, the NSW Police Force said about 7:20pm on Monday, June 1, officers attached to the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command went to York Road, Queens Park, after reports of a crash.

"Police attended and found a BMW and Mazda had collided before the BMW allegedly crashed into four parked cars.

"The driver of the BMW — a 48-year-old man — allegedly refused a roadside breath test.

"He was arrested and taken to Paddington Police Station for a breath analysis which he allegedly refused."

NSW Police said he would appear before Waverley Local Court on June 30.

Police allege the driver of the BMW refused a roadside breath test. (Supplied)

When contacted by ABC News, Mr Thickins did not elaborate on the alleged incident.

Asked specifically about the allegation by police that he refused two breath tests to detect the prese