Geelong dad Cassidy Hynes refused bail, allegedly crashed stolen car

A court has heard a Geelong dad who allegedly crashed a stolen 4WD into a barrier on a busy Waurn Ponds road, leaving his passenger with a broken arm, had relapsed into drug use.

Cassidy Hynes was refused bail in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Friday.

A North Geelong dad has been refused bail after he allegedly crashed a stolen 4WD in Grovedale, leaving his passenger with a broken arm.

Cassidy Hynes, 29, appeared at the Geelong Magistrates Court via video link from Marngoneet Correctional Centre for a bail application on Friday.

At an unknown time between October 13 and 14 this year, an unknown offender or group of offenders broke into a Grovedale home through the back door and stole the keys to a gold Nissan Patrol, worth about $15,000.

On October 18, police were patrolling Waurn Ponds when they spotted the allegedly stolen 4WD, which was bearing different registration plates, driving along Colac Rd.

The vehicle then allegedly collided with a metal barrier on Ghazeepore Rd.

Police removed two people from the 4WD, including Mr Hynes who was allegedly driving the vehicle.

The passenger broke his arm in the crash and was taken to hospital.

Mr Hynes was arrested and police allegedly found a small ziplock bag containing a crystal substance in his possession.

A second search allegedly found a clear bottle of a thick liquid, believed to be 1,4-butanediol, in his jacket pocket.

Mr Hynes was taken to the Geelong police station and provided no comment when he was interviewed by officers.

The court heard Mr Hynes holds a disqualified driver’s licence and is currently on an 18 month community corrections order, which began in May this year.

Mr Hynes was supported in court by his mother, grandmother and the mother of his two children.

Police prosecutor Kathleen Hewitt opposed bail due to Mr Hynes posing an acceptable risk to the community.

“There are concerns the accused will reoffend and not comply with bail conditions,” she said.

“Police have been unable to establish the cause of the crash … he was driving in a manner that was putting the community at risk.”

Mr Hynes’ lawyer said his client had spent 15 days in custody since being remanded.

“He has had time to detox from the drugs in his system,” his lawyer said.

“He had a lapse back into drug use.

“Once he lapsed back, that has led to him re-associating with (people) who are involved with drug use and criminal activity.”

His lawyer said My Hynes wanted to be a better father to his two young children and urged bail to be granted with strict conditions such as a curfew and judicial monitoring.

“This will prove to the court he is fair dinkum about who he wants to be,” his lawyer said.

“His family are saying this is his last chance.”

Magistrate Simon Guthrie opposed bail, agreeing with the prosecution that Mr Hynes was an “unacceptable risk”.

Mr Hynes will return to court on November 15.

Originally published as Geelong dad Cassidy Hynes refused bail, allegedly crashed stolen car