Drug-driver jailed over road rampage

A MAN who armed himself with a knife and threatened to take hostage a Mt Duneed family has been jailed.

Manuel Nieto was sentenced to four years and five months in Melbourne County Court on Thursday over the February incident.

The court heard Nieto stole a car from a service station in a Melbourne suburb and drove more than 90 minutes at high speed to Geelong.

Judge Paul Grant said during sentencing Nieto’s offending involved high speeds, erratic driving and running red lights and endangered the community for a prolonged period.

Nieto, who had already been in custody for 291 days, pleaded guilty to theft, reckless conduct endangering life, recklessly causing injury and common assault.

The court heard Nieto dangerously passed vehicles at high speed using the emergency lane — at one point driving 158km/h in a 70km/h zone before flying through Latrobe Terrace and running multiple red lights.

Judge Grant said Nieto then sped along the Surf Coast Highway, where he collided head-on with another car that was carrying three children.

All occupants of that car were injured and had to be taken to hospital, but Nieto fled the scene, dumping the stolen car on the side of the road and running onto a nearby property.

After being offered help by a female homeowner Nieto entered the home, took a knife from the kitchen and said, “I won’t harm you, but if it comes to it, it will be a hostage situation.”

The terrified homeowners, who were at the house with their children, eventually calmed Nieto down and told him they would drive him to a train station.

It was then that police pounced on Nieto, arresting him and taking him to hospital, where he was found to have drugs in his system.

During sentencing, Judge Grant said Nieto was an Aboriginal man who had experienced hardship throughout his life and turned to drugs as a teen. He said Nieto had spent much of his adult life in prison.

He acknowledged Nieto’s early plea of guilty and said he had faced up to his drug addiction.

But he said Nieto’s offending was very serious and had a profound impact on the victims, leaving some unable to work.

Nieto’s sentence carries a minimum term of three years.

“I won’t harm you, but if it comes to it, it will be a hostage situation.” MANUEL NIETO TOLD MT DUNEED HOMEOWNERS