‘He drove straight at me’

MOMENTS after a man allegedly drove at a policeman other officers feared he had died and that his car could catch fire, a court has heard.

A two-day committal hearing for accused Andrew Hutchison began at the Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The Melton West man is accused of driving nearly 50km/h over the speed limit before seriously injuring officer Sergeant Anthony French on the Surf Coast Highway.

Sgt French was one of five witnesses who gave evidence before Magistrate Ann McGarvie yesterday.

The 56-year-old told the court the car, allegedly driven by Mr Hutchison, 21, drove directly at him as he stood alongside the highway.

Mr Hutchison, who has been in custody since his arrest on November 20, is charged with intentionally causing serious injury, intentionally exposing emergency workers to risk by driving, assaulting an emergency worker, driving over the speed limit and reckless conduct endangering life.

Four of the five witnesses yesterday were police officers who responded to the incident.

Sgt French told the court he was working alone that afternoon when he heard radio communications about a car allegedly travelling erratically on the Surf Coast Highway.

Another officer, Adam Niksic, told the court he heard Sgt French say over the radio that he was on his way to the scene. Sen-Constable Niksic also made his way towards the incident.

Sgt French told the court messages heard through the police radio helped him identify the wanted vehicle and said he planned to throw stop sticks — used to halt oncoming cars — across the road. Sgt French said he saw the vehicle going “a lot faster” before moving into the right-hand lane to pass traffic. He said the car then “drove directly at me”.

Sen-Constable Niksic said seconds after Sgt French was allegedly injured he arrived on the scene to find the stationary Holden Commodore.

“The whole car stunk of petrol,” Sen-Constable Niksic said.

“(My) initial observations were that he (the driver) was deceased.”

Sen-Constable Niksic said he opened the car and pulled out an empty jerry can and moved it to the side of the road.

A third witness, Leading Senior Constable Shane McTeagh, said when he arrived at the scene of the crash the driver was non-responsive. “I thought he was dead,” he said. The police officer said when Hutchison started to move he handcuffed him because he was concerned the man may try to set a nearby jerry can alight.

The committal hearing continues today.