James Quinn: Mildura man allegedly steals car, hits police

Already granted bail on a drug trafficking charge, a man was allegedly on drugs when he led police on a dangerous 45-minute pursuit.

A Mildura man allegedly hit a police car during a pursuit.

A Mildura man who allegedly stole a car, hit a police vehicle and then failed a drugs test has been denied bail.

James Quinn, 23, appeared at Mildura Magistrates’ Court seeking bail to live with his mother at Berri in South Australia on Tuesday, March 30.

Quinn’s charges included stealing a vehicle, trafficking methylamphetamine, dangerous driving, recklessly exposing a police officer to risk and failing an oral fluid test.

A police prosecutor told the court Quinn had been on bail over another trafficking charge and weapons charges in January.

Just after midnight on Saturday, he was observed driving an allegedly stolen purple Ford Falcon.

It was alleged after ignoring requests to stop, Quinn then sped away.

In Cardross, it was alleged Quinn made contact with a police vehicle.

Police said Quinn then headed to Mildura and Merbein South, with the pursuit taking 45 minutes and involving use of the police helicopter.

The court heard tyre deflation devices were used three times but Quinn allegedly continued driving.

Police said Quinn allegedly reached speeds of up to 160km/h and driving on the wrong side of the road.

The car eventually lost a tyre, leading to Quinn’s capture, the court was told.

It was alleged numerous messages and photos of apparent trafficking activity were found on Quinn’s phone, while an oral fluid test indicated illicit drugs.

Quinn’s mother gave evidence that Quinn had lost both his legs 18 months ago due to medical complications, after spending three and a half months in a coma.

It is understood Quinn has prosthetic legs.

She said when he woke, he learned his grandmother had died.

The mother said when he was finally able to return to Mildura after his treatment, he was “isolated” from family because of the South Australian border closure.

She was unable to visit him during this time.

“He’s really had no chance — and I’ve had no chance to help him — to work through the trauma,” his mother said.

She said in Mildura, he had fallen back into, and needed to rely on, an “old crowd”.

The mother, an Indigenous elder, said she had let her son “take the fall” for past offending, but the most recent matters were different and a “call for help”.

She said he needed to be closer to her and his two siblings.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan said the plan for Quinn to move to Berri ticked a lot of boxes and he was impressed by the mother’s evidence.

However, Mr Coghlan said Quinn’s driving matters alone likely warranted a significant term of imprisonment and had clearly put others at risk while he was on bail.

He asked what would happen were Quinn to again be asked to stop by police.

“I’m not going to take that risk for the community,” he said.

Mr Coghlan said Quinn held an unacceptable risk of committing further offences if granted bail and denied the application.

The matters were listed to be heard in court for further mention next Wednesday.