Zach Phillips faces Taree court for stalking, ramming car near Old Bar and Coopernook

A young Mid-North Coast driver “just saw red” and repeatedly rammed a car with a couple inside as they desperately sought refuge. Here’s what happened.

Zach Phillips.

A young Mid-North Coast driver “just saw red” and repeatedly rammed a car being driven by a man with his ex-partner in the passenger seat, a court heard.

Zach Phillips, 19, appeared in Taree Local Court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to charges including predatory driving and stalking and intimidating.

Phillips rammed the other car with a man and a female inside several times during a prolonged incident, causing significant damage to the vehicle, the court was told.

He then pursued the pair into the Coopernook Hotel parking lot when they entered to seek refuge on the afternoon of September 18.

Phillips had been in a relationship with the female in the car, but they split in early September, according to court documents.

The man and female in the car rammed by Phillips were travelling from Old Bar towards Taree when they noticed the teen driving next to their vehicle.

Zach Phillips at Taree court on November 1.

Phillips rammed the car as they travelled through the Bucketts Way roundabout and he chased them along Manning River Dr.

The driver was not from the area and he turned into a cul-de-sac, where Phillips cornered the car and rammed it again.

The pair headed to Taree and Phillips rammed them two more times at the intersection of Commerce and Wynter streets, just after Martin Bridge.

The man and female stopped to call police and Phillips hopped out of his vehicle and punched the other car’s driver’s window several times.

Phillips had fled the scene by the time police arrived, court documents state.

The victims were “extremely shaken” and officers noted significant damage to their car, including panel damage.

It was missing its front bumper and headlights were hanging on the ground.

Zach Phillips. Picture: Facebook.

Later, Phillips drove to the female’s house at Coopernook. When he realised she was not there he returned to Taree and saw the man and woman’s vehicle travelling north.

He u-turned and followed, tailgating them for some distance.

The pair pulled into Coopernook Hotel, fearing for their safety and Phillips approached and started yelling.

Hotel workers and patrons removed him from the area.

When police arrived, Phillips told them: “I just saw red.”

“The worst thing I did was ram a car out at Old Bar,” he said.

Phillips was charged and later contacted the female victim in breach of an apprehended violence order.

On one occasion, he called using a friend’s phone and said: “You know who I am” and “I know where you are”.

Phillips pleaded guilty to two counts of contravening a prohibition in a court order, as well as predatory driving and stalking.

The case was adjourned to December 18 for sentencing.