Olivia Laura Garrett pleads guilty to theft of motor vehicle, reckless conduct endangering life at Broadmeadows Magistrates’ court

A former jockey led police on a wild high-speed chase across Melbourne in a stolen car, without front tyres before crashing and fleeing as the vehicle went up in flames.

Tyre-less terror: Fiery end after 160km/h chase in stolen car. Picture: generic

A former jockey with a history of keeping bad company led police on a wild high-speed chase across Melbourne in a stolen car, driving without front tyres before crashing and fleeing as the vehicle went up in flames.

Olivia Laura Garrett pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including theft of the motor vehicle, reckless conduct endangering life and possessing drugs at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

On March 5, police spotted Garrett behind the wheel of a stolen car speeding at 140km/h along the Tullamarine Freeway before running a red light and ignoring police attempts to stop her.

She then sped along the Eastern Freeway, evading tyre-deflation devices deployed by officers.

Moments later, the car lost its front right tyre, then the left, but the 22-year-old continued driving, reaching 160km/h.

She ran another red light on Sydney Rd in Campbellfield before losing control and crashing into a barrier.

Garrett finally drove into Dorchester St in Craigieburn, where her vehicle caught fire.

She climbed out of the driver’s seat and was arrested.

Officers found cannabis, methamphetamine, MDMA, and prescription drugs inside the car.

In another incident in January 2023, Garrett and another friend were caught with drug-making equipment to manufacture DMT while staying at the National Center for Resilience in Mickleham — a crisis accommodation — after being displaced by floods in Shepparton.

On Monday, Garrett’s lawyer, Jacqueline Kennedy, said Garrett had been in custody for 27 days.

Ms Kennedy told the court her client — a former horse trainer jockey — had a history of mental health issues.

She also said Garrett kept driving the stolen car because she was in fear of her co-accused who told her to keep going.

Ms Kennedy said Garrett got into “trouble” when she “hooked up” with people she should not be “hanging around with.”

In a victim impact statement — read out by the prosecutor — the owner of the car said the theft had made the family feel “unsafe”.

Through a video link from custody, Garrett told the court she was “trying to change” her life.

Magistrate Stella Stuthridge said Garrett had to “really think about” how the co-accused and friends “seem to be a real problem”.

Garrett was released on bail to get assessed for a CCO and a pre-sentence report before sentencing in May.