Former meth addict Jock Maxwell Warren caught hooning while three times over the limit in the SE pine forest

A man who was looking to “have a bit of fun out in the pines” tried to evade police on foot after he crashed his car down an embankment.

A former meth addict has fronted court after he was caught hooning in an unregistered and uninsured vehicle near Mount Gambier, while three times over the limit, a court has heard.

Midas Tyre and Auto Service mechanic Jock Maxwell Warren, 37, attempted to flee on foot through the pine forest just off Wandilo Rd, Wandilo, when police tried to stop him.

A police prosecutor said Warren lost control of his car when he tried to evade police, crashing down an embankment — before attempting “to do a runner”.

“Police got out of the vehicle, chased him on foot, constantly yelling for him to stop,” a police prosecutor said.

On Monday the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court heard police were responding to reports of “numerous vehicles conducting burnouts at the intersection of Wandilo Rd and Wandilo Forest Rd” on August 6.

Jock Maxwell Warren has been slammed by police prosecutors after police had to chase him through a pine forest after he lost control of his car and attempted to flee on foot when police tried to arrest him. Picture: Arj Ganesan

On approach, officers saw headlights “sweeping around in a circular motion” consistent with what police say is a vehicle doing doughnuts.

“(They) observed a white single cab utility in very poor condition (with) one headlight and no tail lights or brake lights.”

The court heard police officers chased Warren for roughly 200m through the forest following the crash before they were able to arrest him.

After being brought back to the Mount Gambier Police Station, checks revealed the car was both uninsured and unregistered.

Warren also recorded a blood-alcohol content of 0.169, more than three times the legal limit.

The court heard Warren refused to identify the owner of the car telling police “he wasn’t going to dog on his mates”.

The Moana mechanic has been in the car industry for 20 years, often spending his free time restoring cars, the court heard.

Warren told police he had been looking for a cheap “rally bus” to “have a bit of fun out in the pines” and did not know the car was not registered or insured.

“He didn’t even know if (the vehicle) had registration plates,” a police prosecutor said.

Warren pleaded guilty to driving with excess blood alcohol, driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle, failure to stop, hindering police and failure to identify the owner of the vehicle.

The man’s defence lawyer Lamorna Alexander said her client had not fronted the court since a 2014 drug driving matter and had been successful in kicking his addiction to methamphetamine.

Ms Alexander said Warren had “panicked” after spotting police lights, causing him to run.

“Not to take away from the serious nature of the offending, nor the disastrous that could have occurred, the offending occurred on a rural road, not a built-up area,” she said.

Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos warned the man to get his drinking under control.

“Don’t be fooled — alcohol can be just as bad as drugs,” Ms Kossiavelos said.

“Although you haven’t got an illicit substance issue, you do have problems with alcohol.”

Warren was fined a total of $1700 and his 12-month licence disqualification was backdated to August 6. He also received a conviction and was handed a 12-month good behaviour bond.