Michael Hood: Cape Woolamai man jailed after violent tirade

A Cape Woolamai drug user who terrorised a young woman and rammed her car twice in Grantville has been jailed.

A Cape Woolamai drug user chased a terrified woman in her car before ramming it twice — trapping her inside — metres from Grantville’s shopping precinct.

Michael Hood, 28, pleaded guilty to a string of driving, drug and damaging property charges at Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on July 28.

The court heard Hood followed the victim in her car on the Bass Highway on February 19 2021.

The victim turned into Grantville’s shopping precinct before getting out in a distressed state.

Hood followed her to the car park before she ran back to her car.

The court heard he chased her in his vehicle around the shopping precinct four times with pedestrians and other vehicles nearby.

Hood then rammed her car, causing significant damage.

The woman managed to drive off but Hood followed and rammed her a second time.

This trapped the woman, pinning her inside the vehicle.

Hood got out of his car and screamed at the victim to open her doors before attempting to open them himself.

He then drove away from the area and the woman was helped by others nearby.

The court also heard Hood smashed the victim’s car with a shovel, damaging the windscreen and right hand side pillar on February 4 2021.

On April 18, police attended a property in the Bass Coast and saw Hood trying to escape on foot.

Police chased the man who was found hiding underneath a nearby house with a backpack.

A weapon, cannabis, methamphetamine, GHB, an ice pipe and subscription medication were found in the bag.

Hood’s lawyer Elise Anselma said he was remorseful.

She also said there was a correlation between Hood’s drug use and behaviour.

Magistrate Hugh Radford said the matters were “extremely serious”.

“When you are using drugs, you become very, very violent and you’re not only a danger to yourself but you’re a danger to the community around you,” Magistrate Radford said.

“I can’t imagine what the victim would have felt and the fear that she would have had in relation to her safety and to her life.”

Hood was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 12 months.

His licence was disqualified for six months and he received a $1200 fine.

Follow The Bass Coast News on Facebook to keep up to date with other local stories.

[e-mail]