A Melbourne man who led police on a high speed pursuit along the Hume Freeway in a stolen car will serve at least two and a half months in custody. The accused appeared at Wodonga Magistrates’ Court via a Ravenhall Corrections Centre prison link last Thursday pleading guilty to reckless driving charges. The court heard police were monitoring a stolen rental car taken from Melbourne driving northbound on the Hume Freeway on 15 September this year. The vehicle reached speeds of up to 140km/h and was swerving carelessly as police attempted to intercept the vehicle near the Lake Mokoan Rest Area. It failed to stop on police direction, which prompted officers to use a tyre deflation device to spike the car’s tyres at the Ironbark Rest Area at 5:30pm. The tyres were spiked, but the vehicle continued driving, exiting on the wrong side of the freeway into Barnawartha. It drove along Station Street and went back onto the freeway towards Wodonga, driving at up to 90km/h with two deflated front tyres. The car was also driving on the wrong side of the freeway, as the setting sun began impairing the vision of oncoming traffic. The vehicle exited at Wodonga where it was brought to a stop. Police found the male driver along with two other passengers who were all arrested, including one female passenger who had an intervention order on the accused. After an oral fluid test, the accused tested positive to meth and he has been behind bars since. Defence counsel Caitlin Blakeney said her client had been battling drug addiction for some time and had spates of homelessness prior to the offending. The accused told the court he hoped to be out of jail in time for his daughter's birthday, in two days' time. "That can't happen," Magistrate Ian Watkins said. Magistrate Watkins ordered the accused to undergo a community corrections order assessment and indicated he would release the defendant from custody for time served if he is found suitable for the order upon his return to court on 27 November. “This could’ve resulted in a catastrophic accident that could’ve killed any number of people,” he said.
