Trio in two crashes

Teen granted bail with conditions

THE three people accused of running a car into a police van and a garbage truck in Geelong on Monday morning have all faced court.

The three offenders are aged 20, 18, 17, but cannot be named for legal reasons.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard the 20-year-old — the alleged driver — had spent time in hospital after suffering cuts and bruising but was in police custody. He did not apply for bail, and is expected back at court next Wednesday.

In a separate court, the 17year-old requested bail yesterday, with police opposing his application, saying he was an unacceptable risk of reoffending.

A detective told the court the teen and his alleged cooffenders were seen jacking up a Holden ute to steal its tyres at the North Geelong rail station carpark about 5am on Monday.

When police approached, the trio allegedly got into a white Toyota Lexcen, with the 17-year-old in the back, and reversed into the police divisional van before taking off.

The court was told the officers abandoned their pursuit of the car for safety reasons.

About 5.30am the Toyota crashed into a garbage truck on Elizabeth St, Geelong West, and three people were seen running from the vehicle.

“The force of the impact was quite extensive. There was substantial damage to the Toyota and the garbage truck,” the detective told court.

The car — believed to be stolen — was towed away by police, and the court was told they later found a number of laptop computers and tablets, a toolbox and clothing in it.

Detectives say the computers and tablets were taken during a recent robbery at Avalon, while the toolbox was stolen from a car parked at Geelong Grammar.

Police arrested the three males about 7.30am in North Shore, with the 17-year-old allegedly telling them he had taken methylamphetamine with the others after they picked him up in the Toyota about 1am.

The court was told the youngest of the accused males was bailed by a court less than a week earlier on a curfew that was broken by Monday’s alleged offences.

The court was told there were no bail conditions this time around that would alleviate police concerns the youngster would reoffend.

He faces charges of amphetamine use, theft from a motor vehicle, going equipped to steal and breaching bail, but the court was told police believed more charges were likely forthcoming.

However, the applicant’s lawyer said the teenager was “extremely vulnerable” and it was not appropriate to send him back into youth custody.

He was granted bail because of his age and family support, but on strict conditions, including a curfew, requirement he report to police three times a week, adhere to random drug screenings and not associate with the co-accused.