Ice addict Daniel Smith faces court over frightening dangerous driving charges

An ice user battling a “debilitating drug addiction” nearly killed two innocent road workers during a terrifying car chase in Neerim South, prompting a court to issue him a stern warning.

Ice user Daniel Smith was fleeing witnesses to a robbery when he nearly struck and killed two road workers in Neerim South. Picture: File

A drug addict who nearly ran over and killed two road workers during a wild car chase in Neerim South almost two years ago has finally had his day in court.

Daniel Smith, 35, of Bayswater, pleaded guilty at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on May 12 to driving in a manner that placed persons in danger of death in November 2018 when he drove on the wrong side of the road while speeding over the crest of a hill.

He flew past two workmen, narrowly missing them, according to court documents.

Smith was being pursued by a relative of homeowners he was believed to have robbed a day earlier at the time of the incident, the documents noted.

Smith also pleaded guilty to breaking into a Bayswater factory on November 20 last year, with police able to link him to the crime using DNA found on a McDonald’s drink cup he’d left at the scene, according to the court documents.

And he admitted to the court he’d also attempted to steal two televisions from Bayswater South Primary during the school’s Christmas break in December.

Police noted in their report to the court that Smith had a “debilitating drug addiction” to methamphetamine and “countless priors” for driving under the influence.

“Police are of the strong belief that the accused will never be able to be rehabilitated … (he) is accustomed to this lifestyle and will continue to pose a risk to the community,” they noted in the court documents.

Smith’s lawyer told the court his client’s behaviour was “indicative of a cycle that needs to be broken”, but the coronavirus meant he’d struggled to access rehab services in prison.

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Magistrate David Starvaggi sentenced Smith to nine months’ jail and disqualified him from driving for two years.

He declared 138 days’ pre-sentence detention time served and warned Smith he would have faced a much longer jail stint if he’d hit someone due to his poor driving behaviour.

“In that case you wouldn’t have seen daylight for the best part of 10 years I reckon,” Mr Starvaggi said.