Timothy Walker, 39, rammed divvy van nearly killing police

An unlicensed central Victorian driver, who never progressed past L-plates, rammed a police divvy van to evade capture, nearly killing officers.

Timothy Walker, 39, of regional central Victoria, appeared at the Bendigo County Court via audio visual link on June 26, 2023. Picture: Victoria Police via Twitter

A harrowing account of psychological damage inflicted upon a police officer has been read to a Bendigo court, describing the terrifying moments a stolen ute was deliberately slammed into his divvy van.

The police constable said in a victim impact statement that he went home after the event and questioned his life choices, including his career, after his run in with central Victorian driver Timothy Walker at a Hawthorn service station.

Walker, an unemployed 39-year-old, pleaded guilty on Monday to leading police on a high speed chase and endangering the lives of four officers on November 2, 2020.

Prosecutor David Cordy said Walker had stopped at a 7-11 service station Hawthorn and attempted to refuel during a chase through several Melbourne suburbs, while he was being followed by police air wing and on road vehicles.

The court was told Walker had been “boxed in” at the service station by police vehicles and chose to smash his way out by ramming a divvy van and driving over a temporary fence to flee the scene.

“When that car intentionally slammed into our divisional van and I was running to jump back inside it for protection for the fear of being run over I remember all those feelings,” constable Ty Christy said in his victim impact statement.

“What I didn’t realise at the time was the lasting effect this would have on me.

“I am angry he chose to put my life at risk and my colleagues’ life at risk.

“He made a choice to ram our van.

“I remember going home and for the first time and I questioned everything and asked myself ‘is this really what I want to do – am I prepared to lose my life for the protection of others’?

“His stupid choices could have cost so many people their lives.”

Mr Cordy said during the chase Walker had steered into oncoming lanes and sped through red lights at speeds reaching up to 100km/h in residential areas at Fawkner, Lilydale, Reservoir, Preston and Northcote.

He drove at about 140km/h on the Eastern Freeway.

Constable Christy said he still felt anxious whenever he heard the call out to pursue a stolen vehicle.

Mr Cordy said Walker should be disqualified from driving for a very long time, beyond the mandatory period of 24 months for the offending.

“Driving with gay abandon through traffic lights in residential areas is breathtaking,” he said.

“And what’s even more breathtaking is that no one got killed – this time.”

Walker was eventually arrested at Bendigo a few days later on November 5, 2020 following another police chase.

The court was told that Walker had once held a learner’s permit but had never progressed to a provisional driver’s license.

Judge Anne Hassan said the descriptions of Walker’s driving history were “hair raising”.

“He has a record of shocking, unrelenting and appalling driving,” she said.

Judge Hassan said she would sentence Walker on separate offences of burglary, theft, criminal damage and obtaining financial advantage by deception as well as dangerous driving while pursued by police later this week.

The court was told Walker had targeted a Golden Square medical centre in 2020 and stolen about $40,000 property including medications and the same month he took car registration plates from a White Hills car yard to use on a different vehicle.

Defence barrister Jonathan Miller said Walker had experienced a deprived upbringing, had intellectual shortcomings, limited education and deserved credit for pleading guilty to the charges before the court.

Mr Millar said Walker had struggled with drug use, including methylamphetamine.

He said those things should be taken into account during Walker’s sentencing.

The case will return to court in a few days.