Jarrod Searle fronts court over high-speed chase through Bendigo

A methed-up hoon led police on a 25-minute wild chase through Bendigo, driving on the wrong side of the road while the CBD was packed with crowds at a major festival.

A methed-up hoon who led police on a wild chase through Bendigo, driving on the wrong side of the road and barrelling through red lights while the CBD was packed with crowds at a major festival has been sent to jail.

Jarrod Searle, 26, of Strathdale, appeared for sentencing in the County Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty last month to charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, conduct endangering persons and using a vehicle that displayed altered number plates.

Searle, who is unemployed, also pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited and controlled weapons and cartridge and ammunition.

He was sentenced to 27 months’ jail and will be eligible for parole after serving 16 months.

Searle’s wild police chase lasted 25 minutes and began about 9.30pm on July 1, 2023 when police tried to stop him while he was driving his mother’s silver Kia Cerrato station wagon using stolen rego plates along Edwards Rd, Kennington with two associates in the car with him.

He was under the influence of methylamphetamine and cannabis at the time.

Searle sped off onto the wrong lane on Ellis St before travelling west on Keck St, Flora Hill, fleeing police at high speed onto Somerville St, then Houston St.

The Police Air Wing was called to help during the pursuit and described Searle as “driving like a cut snake” through Bendigo suburbs

He continued north onto Carpenter St, dodging oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road.

Searle then travelled onto Mitchell St in the CBD while the Electric Wonderland festival was in full swing, with “heavy foot traffic” and a “high number of pedestrians in the area”.

CCTV footage shows police chasing Searle onto King St, with the fugitive weaving in and out of side streets until he reached Myrtle St, crossing again onto the wrong side of the road.

On Myrtle St between Hargreaves and High streets police clocked Searle doing 85km/h in a 60km/h zone.

Searle carried on the chase down High St, dodging traffic on the wrong side of the road, speeding past Bendigo police station and blasting through a red light at the Thistle St intersection where the Police Air Wing caught up to him at 9.41pm.

The hoon then turned onto Old High St and clocked 90km/h on the wrong side of the road in a 50km/h zone.

At the intersection of Panton and Oak streets the two passengers jumped out of the car and fled the scene on foot while Searle continued the chase north along Oak St and Hattam St.

The Air Wing continued to follow Searle, observing him travelling on the wrong side of at least seven roads in Quarry Hill, Bendigo, East Bendigo and White Hills for the next 20 minutes, clocking him doing 150km/h on Napier St between Weeroona Ave and Nolan St.

Police Air Wing described Searle as “driving like a cut snake”, “barrelling through” red lights and oncoming traffic to officers giving chase on the ground.

Searle then started speeding towards the Bendigo Hospital on Drought St, with the Air Wing catching him doubling the speed limit at 100km/h past the emergency department along Arnold and Anderson streets.

Searle surrendered on Eaglehawk Rd, Ironbark about 10pm, getting out of his car with his hands in the air with police finding a machete, an extendible baton and a small hatchet axe in the car.

A machete was among items recovered from a car Jarrod Searle was driving when he led police on a wild chase through the streets of Bendigo.

Judge Amanda Chambers said Searle completely disregarded the safety of other road users and the community, effectively circumnavigating out of Bendigo using a mix of arterial and residential roads, including through the CBD.

“I have observed CCTV and other footage of your driving. It makes for shocking viewing. It is no understatement to observe that it was only a matter of luck that no one was injured or worse as a result of your driving,” she said.