Police in chase with P-plater

– Kath Gannaway
A HEALESVILLE P-plater led police on a 15 minute chase on Saturday night before having his friend’s car impounded … and his life potentially put on hold for a few years.
The 21-year-old man faces as many as 40 traffic offences including reckless conduct endangering life, dangerous driving, careless driving, drink driving, overtaking when unsafe and a range of speed limit breaches.
Sergeant John Morgan, officer in charge of the Yarra Ranges Traffic Management Unit, was on duty in Healesville with another officer, courtesy of TAC funding which pays for additional overtime for police engaged on projects specifically targeting drink and drug drivers.
“The funding has enabled us to have an extra two cars on the road on Friday and Saturday nights and it’s paying dividends,” Sgt Morgan said.
Sgt Morgan said the driver drew attention to himself by doing a big burnout and speeding through the main street.
Sgt Morgan said police saw the incident in the rear mirror of their unmarked car and followed the driver who was travelling at 100 kmph into Don Road where he reached speeds of over 140 kmph before narrowly missing another car and turning back and heading through the town and heading up towards Chum Creek.
The man was apprehended on the Healesville-Kinglake Road and the tow trucks called in to confiscate the vehicle under the hoon legislation.
The driver was alone in the car, a five-litre VN Commodore owned by a friend.
Sgt Morgan said the man was facing some serious consequences of his behaviour.
“The seriousness that the courts view these type of charges with it’s very possible he will go to jail.
“Certainly the legislation allows for that to happen,” he added.
Sgt Morgan said with six of the eight TAC shifts now completed TMU had conducted 4709 random breath tests and charged a total of 313 offences including 38 for driving over the limit, 13 unregistered drivers, three unlicensed and six for driving while disqualified.
The TMU has two TAC shifts left to run.
Other police stations in the Yarra Ranges are also running additional TAC-funded patrols.