Michael Pang pleads guilty to speeding, driving in emergency lane

A “reckless and dangerous” driver wove through morning traffic on the Princes Hwy before cutting off and brake-checking a terrified women, a court has heard.

Wyndham Vale’s Michael Pang pleaded guilty to three driving charges after a wild jaunt on the Princes Hwy. Picture: iStock

A man’s erratic driving on the Princes Hwy has been described by a magistrate as “reckless and dangerous”.

Michael Pang, 36, of Wyndham Vale, appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to driving at a dangerous speed, driving in an emergency stopping lane and failing to provide his name and address.

Five other charges were withdrawn.

Pang was convicted, his licence was disqualified for nine months and he was placed on a bond.

The court heard on March 1 last year, at about 7.54am, Pang sped through a 70km/h zone in Werribee at an average speed of 89km/h, crossing a solid white line and overtaking multiple vehicles.

Pang continued driving erratically on the Princes Hwy heading towards Geelong, the court heard, overtaking a vehicle using the emergency stopping lane at Little River.

Pang sped up, weaving through traffic before catching up with a woman driving a Ford Territory, the court was told.

Driving at “extreme speeds” – estimated to be about 140km/h – Pang cut the victim off before immediately slowing down in front of her, almost causing the cars to collide.

The victim overtook Pang and brake-checked him in return, this time causing a collision at 96km/h.

Pang then drove up alongside the victim and intentionally veered into her lane, prompting the woman to call triple-0.

She followed Pang while on the phone, and police intercepted the two cars at York St in Geelong.

The court heard Pang told police he drove in front of the woman to slow her down because she was “going psycho” on the road, and handed over his front and rear dashcam footage, which was used to calculate Pang’s speed.

Magistrate Gerard Bryant wasn’t impressed with the 36-year-old’s driving.

“He’s very fortunate there wasn’t a collision where someone was seriously injured or killed,” Mr Bryant said, stating Pang was “driving like a lunatic”.

Pang’s lawyer, Courtney Eldridge, said he was subsequently admitted to hospital due to his mental health following the incident, but was now medicated and seeing a psychiatrist.

Ms Eldridge noted the victim was speeding as well, and they appeared to be “aggravating each other”.

“Was she driving 180km/h in an emergency service lane?” Mr Bryant asked.

He said it was “miraculous” a reckless conduct charge was withdrawn and congratulated Ms Eldridge.

Ms Eldridge said the loss of his licence would cost Pang employment, and tendered character references that outlined shock at Pang’s behaviour, as he was someone of good character who wouldn’t ordinarily drive in this fashion.

In sentencing Pang, Mr Bryant said he accepted that Pang was mentally unwell at the time, but the victim “would have been absolutely terrified” and Pang’s behaviour was “reckless and dangerous”.

Mr Bryant said there was a “perverse irony” in Pang, who had previously been injured in a motor vehicle accident and uses a mobility scooter, would drive in “such an outrageous fashion”.

However, Mr Bryant accepted it was out of character.

Originally published as Michael Pang pleads guilty to speeding, driving in emergency lane