Michael Jacob appears at Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court pleading guilty to reckless driving

A Colac farmer at the wheel of his ute when it rolled over his mate who had been riding unrestrained on the tray has learnt his fate.

A farmer whose ute rolled while a mate was riding in the tray, causing serious injuries, has learned his fate in court.

Michael Jacob appeared at the Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to reckless driving and placing a person in danger of serious injury.

The 25-year-old was driving a white 2020 Toyota HiLux in Allansford with three passengers on January 16 2022, with at least one riding unrestrained in the ute tray.

The court was told one of the wheels got stuck as he reversed down an embankment, causing the ute to roll, trapping one person under the tray.

Emergency services were called to the scene to free the trapped victim, who was flown to the Alfred Hospital with multiple broken ribs.

Michael Jacob appeared at the Warrnambool Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

After he was arrested and interviewed at Warrnambool Police Station, Jacob told police he did not feel the wheel get caught until it was”too late”.

He also showed “extreme remorse” for causing his friend serious injury, the court heard, but the pair remained mates.

Jacob’s lawyer submitted it was his first offence and that he had no prior criminal history.

The court heard Jacob moved to a farm in Colac for work and lived with his partner, who he financially supported.

The court also heard no drugs or alcohol were involved in the offence, which Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said made it “difficult to sentence”.

The defence submitted that Jacob, who grew up in Echuca, had ongoing employment since he was 16, for which he needed his licence.

The court heard he needed to keep it to work at the farm and drive a tractor, and to work as a qualified mechanic.

But Mr Lethbridge said the charges needed to be treated “very seriously” and reckless driving causing serious injury had “catastrophic consequences”.

“This is an example of a simple and easily avoidable driving error that has caused devastation,” he said.

Mr Lethbridge told Jacob it was “inevitable” and he must lose his licence.

He opted for a “substantial fine” instead of a corrections order.

Jacob was convicted and fined $7,500, had his licence cancelled and was disqualified from driving for a period of nine months.