Mason Trenfield-Villella fronts court over police pursuit, granted bail

An allegedly drug-affected driver is accused of reaching speeds of up to 170km/h, without his lights on, during a late night police chase.

Generic image of Police flashing lights. Source: NewsCorp

A driver who allegedly led police on a wild chase around Geelong’s south on Monday night that ended in a construction site has been granted bail.

Mason Trenfield-Villella, 25, appeared in the dock in Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday, facing a 21 charges stemming from the alleged chase.

They included two counts of recklessly exposing emergency workers to risk, dangerous driving while being pursued by police, possessing ice and failing a drug test.

The court heard that on Monday night, patrolling police officers in Whittington allegedly spotted Mr Trenfield-Villella driving south on Solar Drive.

When the officers went to intercept him, Mr Trenfield-Villella allegedly peeled into Alouette Ct.

When police went to enter the court, the car had turned around and allegedly “accelerated towards” them, forcing the officers to take evasive action.

Minutes later, the car was seen by a second pair of patrolling officers, allegedly speeding along the Bellarine Hwy without headlights on at 120km/h, and then 170km/h, while in 80km zones.

The second pair of officers lost sight the vehicle, the court heard, before it was seen in South Geelong about 11.10pm.

It allegedly ploughed through a boom gate, causing it to spin and forcing another driver to take evasive action to avoid being struck.

Police allege Mr Trenfield-Villella then sped into a construction site and struck the back of an excavator, before then colliding with a concrete barrier.

The driver allegedly fled, jumping over fences into neighbouring properties.

The court heard that there were 120 staff on site at the time of the alleged chase.

Mr Trenfield-Villella, of Sunshine, was later found on top of a carport at a home in Breakwater Rd, the court was told.

Representing himself from the dock, Mr Trenfield-Villella said he had a support network around him and wouldn’t be a danger on the roads if released.

He told the court he was drug affected from 18 onwards, but had been “pretty good” in the last few years.

However, he relapsed after his mother went to hospital following a brain aneurysm two months ago.

The court heard the apprentice chippie lived with his brother and “best mate” in a share house.

“I don’t have a reason to run, I don’t want to lose my job, I don’t want to lose my family,” Mr Trenfield-Villella told the court.

“I’ve got a supporting family, I shouldn’t have been doing what I was doing.”

He said he’d accept a curfew, drug testing and other bail conditions.

After considering the matter over lunch, magistrate John Lesser granted Mr Trenfield-Villella bail, but warned him not to drive or he’d end up back in custody.

Originally published as Mason Trenfield-Villella fronts court over police pursuit, granted bail