Nathan Hall: Bendigo man runs down attackers in peak hour rampage

A 21-year-old Jeep driver with a history of behaviour behind the wheel has fronted court over a distressing dangerous driving saga in the centre of Bendigo.

Hargreaves St and Mitchell St intersection, Bendigo. Picture: Google Earth

A brawl in Bendigo’s city heart involving machetes and high speed car high jinks could have easily ended in disaster, a court has heard.

Nathan Hall has appeared in Bendigo Magistrates’ Court over his involvement in a peak hour rampage down Hargreaves St in 2020.

The 21-year-old man pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on June 18, 2020, where he sped down the wrong side of Hargreaves St, narrowly avoided hitting pedestrians and stopped short of ploughing through a wooden bench.

Court documents said Hall was driving his Jeep along Hargreaves St at 4.48pm when he stopped at the Mitchell St intersection near a bench where three men were sitting.

Two of the men knew Hall and approached the Jeep.

Hall and his passenger were locked in a shouting match with the three men when the group started striking the driver’s side window.

One of the men hit Hall through the window and opened the driver’s door to try and drag him out.

Hall rapidly turned down Mitchell St and sped off, narrowly avoiding hitting one of his attackers.

The young driver then doubled-back, making a dangerous turn and speeding down the wrong side of the road.

Hall drove his car directly towards the bench, braking to just in time to not hit it or the people around it.

“Had the accused not stopped immediately prior to the bench, or misjudged his speed and distance, he may have struck a number of people causing serious injury to them,” police documents stated.

One of the men brandished a machete and began hitting Hall’s bonnet and approached the driver’s door.

Hall reversed back and sped down Hargreaves St, again driving on the wrong side of the road.

He later told police he was trying to “scare” the men after they assaulted him.

It was not the first time the young man used his car to threaten and intimidate his former friends.

Hall repeatedly yelled out abuse as he drove past his ex-girlfriend's Golden Square home in May 2020.

Court documents revealed that 19-year-old Hall lived with the girl and her family 12 months before.

At 7pm on May 14 Hall drove past the home in his silver Jeep and yelled “you c —ts are f —ked”.

A short time later he called the family pretending to be someone else and when he was confronted he began yelling aggressively.

“Youse are all f —ked. I’m going to run through the house with a knife, I don’t care if there’s kids there,” Hall said.

Five minutes later Hall drove by in his Jeep, again yelling abuse.

Moments after driving off the phone rang with Hall on the line threatening to “come around with a knife”.

The third time Hall drove past the home he was visibly brandishing a silver knife out the vehicle window.

His lawyer Robert Morgan said Hall had complied with the strict bail conditions for 10 months, including rules that he only drive to and from work and that he could not visit the Bendigo CBD.

Magistrate Patrick Southey noted the young man needed his driver’s licence to work, and revoking it would severely impact his chances of rehabilitation.

“If you lost your job it would be a complete disaster and would set you back,” Mr Southey said.

“He’s not a young bloke who drives like an idiot for the fun of it.

“You’ve made some bad mistakes but you’ve learnt from them.”

Mr Southey said Hall’s references were exceptional and he had clearly made positive steps since the 2020 incident.

Mr Southey said he would take the “unusual step” of not revoking the 21-year-old’s licence, despite the dangerous driving charges.

On Wednesday, April 21 Hall pleaded guilty to threatening violence, dangerous driving and was sentenced to a two-year good behaviour bond.

He was ordered to make a $500 contribution to the court fund.