A Heywood man who evaded police at 90km/h in a busy, residential street will spend the next five months, including his birthday, in jail.
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Ashley Rose, 35, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to serious driving offences, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, failing to stop on police request and driving at dangerous speed.
Magistrate Michael Coghlan said it was "far too common" to see people driving dangerously in order to avoid the police.
"The problem is, is everyone else gets put at significant risk," he said.
"Over the years there have been a number of people who have lost their lives as a result of a pursuit so police are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
"If they let you go and you get away from it they get criticised because you might go on to be involved in undetected crimes. In this instance you could have had a car full of drugs but how would we know because you got away. Were you then tested to a drug of dependence? We don't know because we couldn't test you."
The court heard Rose's criminal history included driving on drugs and a 14-day jail stint for driving while disqualified.
"At some stage you will have to make a decision as to how you want to spend the rest of your life," the magistrate said.
"You're 35, it might be time to make some changes because you're going to spend your 36th birthday in custody."
Rose was jailed for five months, with seven days already served in custody on remand.
His driver's licence was cancelled for 15 months.
On January 12, police observed a red Holden Rodeo with black tinted windows driving at a fast rate of speed and in an erratic matter on Heywood's Darling Street about 4.30pm.
One of the officers identified the vehicle as being involved in a previous evade and failing to stop for police.
Police followed the vehicle which continued at a fast rate of speed. Lights and sirens were activated however the vehicle continued to accelerate at a speed well in excess of 90km/h in a built up, residential street.
Rose drove straight through a giveway sign and continued to drive erratically and at dangerous speeds.
The court heard at the time of the offending, the busy residential street was filled with people watering their gardens and kids throwing basketballs.
Police abandoned the pursuit for safety reasons.
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