An unlicensed driver who ran down two police officers in Melbourne's CBD while high on ice could have caused a catastrophe similar to the Bourke Street killings, a judge says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Siyar Bagdas ran down two officers who tried to stop him after he went through a red light at the intersection of Russell and Flinders streets in January 2019.
The "extremely dangerous driving" could have had a disastrous outcome, said Victorian County Court Judge Mark Dean, who jailed the man for at least 21 months.
"The consequences of this may have been catastrophic and our community is all too aware of the serious consequences that can result in driving of a vehicle in this manner on the busy streets of Melbourne's CBD," Judge Dean said on Friday, referring to the 2017 Bourke Street massacre in which six people died.
Bagdas, then aged 20, reversed his silver hatchback at police officers, who tried to smash his window to stop him.
He drove over a marked motorcycle and ran down a police officer, pinning his foot to the ground and injuring him.
A female officer was also struck and injured as he fled from Russell Street.
"You drove your vehicle in an erratic and dangerous fashion whilst drug affected and in an effort to avoid apprehension by police," the judge said.
Bagdas was eventually stopped but not before he was seen driving on the wrong side of the road close to pedestrians and members of the public.
A drug test returned positive for methylamphetamine, the court was told.
The judge lashed the 21-year-old's driving but took into account his young age when considering his sentence.
Bagdas had been expelled from his Roxburgh Park high school in year nine due to alcohol use, and his drinking progressed into ice addition, Judge Dean said.
He also noted the Turkish-born youth was supported by his "law-abiding and hard-working family".
Despite his early guilty plea there was no evidence of remorse, the judge said.
Bagdas admitted to recklessly exposing an emergency worker to risk while driving, conduct endangering persons and assaulting an emergency worker on duty.
He was jailed for three years and nine months, but will be eligible for parole after serving one year and nine months.
He has also been barred from getting a driving licence for five years.
Australian Associated Press
