Sasha Pecanac: Mernda teen bailed after alleged Epping, Mill Park Bundoora police chase
A Mernda teen who allegedly ran red lights, mounted a footpath and almost crashed into other cars while fleeing police was being held at gunpoint — she claims.
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A Mernda teen has claimed she was being held at gunpoint when she allegedly ran several red lights and drove on the footpath while fleeing police.
Sasha Pecanac fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, November 5, facing charges for multiple “serious” incidents, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury and affray.
The unemployed 19-year-old allegedly almost crashed into other cars as she hooned through Epping, Mill Park and Bundoora about 1pm on October 15.
The pursuit began when Pecanac, who was driving her Nissan X-TRAIL with three male passengers, allegedly pulled out in front of an undercover police car.
Police had chased the same car from a known Epping drughouse when it was being driven by a man shortly beforehand.
The court heard police put on their lights and sirens and Pecanac slowed down but then suddenly sped off when officers tried to walk up to the car.
She allegedly then drove through three red lights, forcing numerous drivers to swerve out of her way to avoid a crash, drove on the wrong side of the road, and mounted a footpath and grass area near Bundoora’s University Hill Shopping Centre.
Police then lost sight of the car and didn’t catch up with her until she was arrested on October 29.
Pecanac was already on three counts of bail with strict conditions.
She allegedly rolled a car just metres from where she stole it from a Reservoir driveway when she was a learner driver in October 2019.
She also allegedly stole a car in March, and was caught contravening her bail and giving a false name to police in April.
In June she allegedly went to a Craigieburn lookout with two men and attacked two people, punching and kicking them.
Pecanac’s lawyer told the court during the police chase his client had been held at gunpoint by two of her passengers.
He conceded the risk of her reoffending was very high, but suggested strict bail conditions could make the risk acceptable.
The court heard police had no evidence guns were involved in the incident, and further investigation could take some time.
Magistrate Stephen Ballek said Pecanac’s alleged offending was serious, but there was a risk of her spending too long on remand, with the charges expected to take significant time to resolve.
He granted her bail, warning an emotional Pecanac, “You only just scraped through”.
Mr Ballek placed her on strict conditions, including a ban from driving.
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