Ben Hall hits police car during Bendigo hooning

A former truck driver who hit a police car while performing a burnout “across all lanes” of a Bendigo street has faced County Court.

A hoon driver has admitted to endangering police officers while wreaking havoc on the streets of Bendigo.

Ben William Hall, a 28-year-old former truck driver from Echuca, appeared in Ballarat County Court on Thursday.

The court heard that on the night of May 13, 2022, Hall and two co-accused men parked in Mundy St in Bendigo and attended The Deck bar for a car enthusiasts event.

Hall had driven down to the event from Echuca in an olive Ford Falcon bought two days prior.

The three men left the bar early the next morning and got back into the car, with a person said to have exclaimed: “Get the Mexo flag out” and “take off the hubbies”.

Echuca truck driver Ben William Hall faced court after performing burnouts on the streets of Bendigo in May 2022. Photo: Facebook

Leaving the car park, Hall performed a burnout “across all lanes” of McCrae St while another man held a Mexican flag out the vehicle’s window.

Two nearby police officers attended the scene in a marked car.

Hall did an even larger burnout, coming into proximity with onlookers.

His car then collided with the front driver’s side of the police vehicle, but Hall continued hooning even with a blown-out tyre.

Although police did not pursue Hall after he drove away, he ran a red light and performed another burnout elsewhere.

On May 15, the shell of the burnt-out car was found.

Hall was arrested at his home and in court on Thursday pleaded guilty to aggravated recklessly exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving and to conduct endangering life.

With regard to imprisonment, Judge Frances Dalziel said Hall was not “looking at getting out soon”.

He has spent 80 days in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.