A LONG-TIME friend of motorcycle accident victim Aaron Bryce yesterday claimed he had been caught up in a police net to nab hoon drivers.
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Chris Mitchem said he attended Mr Bryce’s funeral on Tuesday but was not one of up to a dozen drivers who did burnouts in honour of their friend at the Warrnambool cemetery.
“I like a burnout just as much as anyone else, but I wasn’t involved in what happened on Tuesday. It was a bit over the top, although it was in honour of Aaron,” he said.
Mr Mitchem, 24, said he had been wrongly nominated as one of the hoon drivers and it was going to cost him about $200 to retrieve his car, which had been impounded until Monday.
“I’ve been wrongfully accused after someone made a statement about who was there doing burnouts,” he said.
“It was claimed I put oil on the road and nearly lost control but I certainly didn’t do that,” he said yesterday.
“I had my 18-month-old daughter Ashanti, my fiance Emma and my mother-in-law in the car.
“To think that I would put them in danger is ridiculous.
“I was at the funeral but even Aaron’s sister Sharon and a couple of others are prepared to say I did nothing wrong.”
Mr Mitchem said he had not been charged with any offence by police but if he was he would fight allegations in court.
“I’ve never had a conviction.
“I’ve had a couple of speeding fines and got done for unregistered but nothing exceptional,” he said.
“Obviously a few people got caught up in doing burnouts.
“It started with one and then everyone wanted to do a memorial burnout.
“I’ve copped the brunt of someone else’s stupidity.
“The police wouldn’t listen to me. I was told I might get a summons, but my vehicle’s been impounded and I’m going to have to pay to get it back.
“I shouldn’t have to pay, I’ve done nothing wrong. I don’t need this stress in my life,” he said.