Ryleigh Bonello of Mill Park allegedly does 180km/h in police chase
A 21-year-old is accused of speeding while turning off his headlights and driving on the wrong side of the road during a police chase in Melbourne’s north. And police say it’s not the first time he’s led them on a dangerous pursuit.
North
Don't miss out on the headlines from North. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A man allegedly sped at more than 180km/h, turning off his headlights as he drove on the wrong side of the road amid a half-hour police chase through Melbourne’s north.
Ryleigh Bonello, 21, allegedly went through red lights and came head-on with multiple vehicles before police deflated his tyres just before 3am yesterday.
He fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court yesterday, having only been put on a community corrections order in February for an incident where he drove dangerously while being pursued by police.
The court heard police tried to intercept Bonello in his silver Holden sedan about 2.19am on Thursday, June 18 in Kingsbury for its cancelled registration.
Bonello allegedly sped away, driving through Kingsbury, Reservoir and Macleod before he turned his headlights off and drove on the wrong side of the road.
A series of marked and unmarked police cars allegedly unsuccessfully tried to stop Bonello in Macleod, where the police helicopter began tracking him.
The court heard the unemployed Mill Park man continued to drive dangerously through Bundoora, Greensborough, Eltham, Research, Kangaroo Ground and Wattleglen, allegedly reaching speeds of more than 180km/h in 80km/h zones.
Police used a device to deflate Bonello’s tyres, yet he continued to drive on for four minutes before police stopped him.
The court heard he smashed his phone when he was arrested and police allegedly found approximately 10ml of GHB and one gram of methamphetamine in the car.
Bonello’s licence had been disqualified for two years in February after he refused to do a drug test when stopped by police.
The court heard he was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order for on February 18 was very similar to the new allegations.
On May 25, 2019 he was also pursued by the police helicopter as he drove erratically and through red lights after police tried to stop him for his suspended licence and car registration.
He was also only stopped when police deflated his tyres.
MORE: DRIVERS ALLEGEDLY SWAP SEATS DURING WILD POLICE CHASE
HOW PETROL THIEF KEPT GETTING AWAY WITH IT
HOW MAN STOLE $14K CASH FROM COLES STORES
Police told the court they were seriously concerned for Bonello’s “complete disregard for the safety and welfare of other road users”.
Bonello’s lawyer pushed for him to be granted bail, saying it was not inevitable he would be sentenced to jail, and that he could still benefit from the community corrections order while on bail.
She said he had not offended in more than a year and was suffering significant grief after losing his father in November.
Magistrate Michael McNamara said there were exceptional circumstances why Bonello should be released, but initially said the risk of doing so was too high.
“Driving on the wrong side of the road with the lights off through red lights in the circumstances described is completely unacceptable,” he said.
Mr McNamara denied Bonello bail before lunch, but reconsidered his decision in the afternoon, releasing Bonello to abide by a curfew.