Security camera footage is helping police lay charges against a Melton man, who allegedly tried to run down pedestrians in Warrnambool.
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Detective Senior Constable Craig Wastell, of the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit, said footage from the Flying Horse Bar and Brewery showed a number of people standing on the eastern side of Mahonys Road near its bottle shop about 3pm on Saturday.
He said the maroon 2000 Ford Fairmont sedan was seen heading south down the footpath causing three or four middle-aged people to take evasive action.
"It nearly bowls them over," he said. "The footage shows the Melton man driving, a 19-year-old Ballarat woman also in the vehicle and a 14-year-old boy in the back seat."
Detective Senior Constable said electrical items were also stolen from both the Good Buys and Harvey Norman.
"The man will also be charged with those offences. We understand there were a couple of blokes in a white ute near the Jean Jail taking footage and we would like to see that video," he said.
"The 25-year-old man will be charged with a range of driving offences, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury and death.
"He'll appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Thursday for a bail/remand hearing."
The other charges will relate to the police pursuit and the alleged attempt to ram a divisional van in Penshurst during a three-hour manhunt.
Another man in his 30s, previously believed to have been in the maroon Fairmont, has now been excluded from the investigation.
He assisted police with their inquiries on Tuesday and was charged with theft, a weapons offence and possessing ice.
"It appears he wasn't involved in what happened on Saturday at all," Detective Senior Constable Wastell said.
Police initially received a report the sedan was driving erratically in the Homemaker Centre, Bunnings complex and Flying Horse Bar and Brewery area at 2.50pm on Saturday.
The car was then later seen at Bushfield, turned west onto Bridge Road and headed north on the Penshurst-Warrnambool Road.
The Koroit divisional van was stationary on the Penshurst-Warrnambool Road when it was approached and it will be alleged the driver attempted to ram the divi van.
There was a police pursuit which was terminated due to the erratic behaviour of the Fairmont driver.
The Fairmont eventually ran out of fuel and was found on the outskirts of Caramut by a Mortlake police officer about 6pm.
The Melton man and Ballarat woman were arrested near the Fairmont, were charged with other offences and remanded in custody.
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