Eda Kaynak, 31, fronts court charged with recklessly exposing emergency worker to risk

A former piano prodigy “just wanted to get away” when she allegedly sped off during a police stop with an officer hanging onto the car, a court has heard.

Eda Kaynak appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday September 3 charged with recklessly exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving. Picture: Instagram

A former piano prodigy “just wanted to get away” when she allegedly sped off during a police stop with an officer hanging onto the car, a court has heard.

Former Geelong College and Geelong Grammar student Eda Kaynak, 31, appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday facing multiple charges including recklessly exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving.

Ms Kaynak is yet to enter a plea in the matter.

The court heard Ms Kaynak, of Charlemont, was behind the wheel of a car with stolen plates when it was stopped on Barwon Heads Rd at about 5.20pm on January 19 this year.

Officers spoke with Ms Kaynak, who the court heard had a probationary driver’s licence, and a male passenger.

In preparation to search the vehicle, an officer allegedly asked if there was anything in the vehicle that shouldn’t be there.

Ms Kaynak restarted the car, the court was told, prompting the officer to say: “Nah, nah, nah, don’t do that”.

Ms Kaynak allegedly ignored the direction and took off “at speed”, as the male passenger told her to “just f--king go”.

The officer “instinctively” gripped onto the door of the vehicle and was dragged for a “short time” leaving him with “redness and bruising”.

Ms Kaynak’s lawyer, Mel Cox, asked magistrate Urfa Masood for a sentence indication and to provide an opinion on whether or not the prosecution could prove the act was reckless.

A talented pianist, Ms Kaynak was part of Geelong College’s senior school orchestra and senior school concert band in 2008.

In 2009 she was a grand finalist in the instrumental category of a regional talent search.

Ms Cox told the court her client “just wanted to get away” and did not intend to expose the officer to risk.

She said the mens rea, or the accused’s state of mind, couldn’t be proven by the prosecution, nor could they prove that Ms Kaynak knew her actions had the potential to be harmful.

“I can’t see how she wouldn’t,” Ms Masood said in response.

Ms Masood told the court she would have “no problem” in accepting the recklessness element of the charge, “based on what (she had) seen and heard today”.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Chris Sinfield handed up several still photos and played bodycam footage captured by the colleague of the officer who was pulled along by the car.

Ms Masood declined to provide a sentence indication, as Ms Kaynak had another matter listed before the court which required further discussion between the defence and prosecution.

“Both matters should really be heard together,” Ms Masood said.

Ms Kaynak will reappear in court on November 12.

Originally published as Eda Kaynak, 31, fronts court charged with recklessly exposing emergency worker to risk