A GEELONG driver who tried to run other motorists off the road at night on the Hamilton Highway, then drove away from police at more than 190km/h and assaulted a policewoman will be sentenced mid next month.
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Jake Justin Cookson, 24, of Dane Court, Leopold, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to a range of offences including reckless conduct endangering other drivers, refusing a drug test and assaulting an emergency worker on duty.
His offending also breached a community corrections order and he will be resentenced for that similar offending when he returns to court on July 16.
Lawyer Amanda Chambers said Cookson had spent 114 days in custody, he had long term issues with ice and wanted to moved to Western Australia for a fresh start after serving a prison term.
She said that while at school in year eight that a number of Cookson’s friends took their lives in Geelong and soon after he started dabbling in drugs which led to a habit.
Ms Chambers said when Cookson took drugs he went into a hallucinatory state and on the night of his terrifying driving he thought he was coming to Warrnambool to meet up with a woman.
She said ice had ravaged Cookson but his physical and mental conditions had improved dramatically since being in custody.
Magistrate Cynthia Toose said she was concerned that if Cookson had unresolved issues that he would just keep coming back to court.
She said his erratic driving behaviour had impacted on a number of other drivers who were scared for their lives and he simply had not done enough time in jail.
The sentencing was adjourned so the CCO breach could also be dealt with and resentenced in mid July.
From 10pm on March 3 Cookson was driving his black Holden Commodore V8 sedan between Cape Clear, Lismore and Ballangeich when he had interactions with a number of vehicles.
A woman driver said Cookson was travelling at a very high speed, about 130 km/h, tailgated her with his high beam lights on and was so close to her she couldn’t see the front of his car.
Cookson pulled alongside a woman and drove towards her, forcing her to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
She braked and Cookson copied her braking, while continuing to drive towards her.
He also drove on the wrong side of the road about a dozen times.
A Mercedes Benz van overtook that victim and the woman witnessed similar road rage interactions between the black Commodore and the van.
The woman driver said it was the scariest thing she had even been involved in.
Another witness said Cookson was very erratic, he was genuinely in fear for people’s lives, Cookson drove like a “crazy man” and he thought he was trying to kill someone.
After turning onto the Hopkins Highway, Cookson came up behind another woman driver, tailgated her with his high beam lights on and she accelerated to 140km/h in an attempt to get away, but he tracked her.
She tried to get off the road, stopped, Cookson pulled up beside her and she contacted triple 0, showing him she was ringing police.
Police were waiting in an unmarked police car at Purnim.
At 10.38pm they clocked Cookson at 132km/h in the 80 zone, which increased to 152 km/h.
Officers did a U-turn, Cookson stopped but when police activated their lights and siren he accelerated away.
Cookson ignored attempts to pull him over and accelerated to more than 190km/h in a 100 zone before police terminated the pursuit.
He then caught up to the second female driver at Bushfield and again tailgated her.
By this stage she was hysterical and crying.
At 11.20pm Warrnambool police received a call from the Lady Bay Resort staff in relation to an erratic drive.
Police officers converged on McDonald Street near Thunder Point where Cookson was stationary in the Commodore.
He attempted to put his keys in the ignition but was stopped by a police woman and repeated punched her to the arm.
He violently resisted police and two officers used capsicum spray to subdue him.
He ran off before being taken to ground and arrested.
When interviewed Cookson admitted driving but denied all offences, saying he drove normally, perhaps at five to 10 km/h over the limit.