Lachlan Mitchell faces Ballarat court for causing crash at Redan intersection

A driver trying to avoid the police ran a red light at a Redan intersection and crashed into another vehicle, injuring a man and fleeing the scene.

Lachlan Mitchell faced Ballarat Magistrates' Court on March 19, 2025 for dodging a police car and causing a crash in Redan. Picture: Facebook

A disqualified driver crashed into another car at a Ballarat intersection while trying to escape the police.

Lachlan Mitchell, 29, pleaded guilty at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday over offending he committing in 2024.

The court heard on October 11, police saw Mitchell’s car heading south of Skipton St in Redan, despite Mitchell’s licence having been disqualified that May.

Police activated their lights and stopped their vehicle nose to nose with Mitchell’s at the road’s intersection with Leith St.

Mitchell ignored instructions to exit the car, instead reversing slightly, dodging the police car, and entering the intersection against a red light.

As he went across the street, he hit another car and did not stop, continuing on to Leith St.

The driver of that vehicle suffered a cut to his head and his passenger was in shock, the court heard.

On a separate occasion, police found a baton in the driver’s side door of a car Mitchell was driving.

Magistrate Letizia Torres told Mitchell: “You’re really going to seriously hurt yourself or somebody else if this continues.”

She sentenced him to eight months in prison with 118 days already served.