Geelong man Dylan Dean threw Molotov cocktail made from Coca Cola bottle at two men

A Geelong man threw an explosive made from a Coca Cola bottle at two men and then sped towards them in his car, forcing them to jump over a fence to avoid being hit.

Dylan Dean threw a Molotov cocktail at two men on a Norlane street. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Two men were forced to jump to safety when a Geelong man threw a Molotov cocktail from his car and then sped towards them.

The victims said they were walking on the footpath in Norlane when Dylan Dean, 35, threw the homemade explosive device at them from inside his car, causing it to explode into flames on the street.

Dean pleaded guilty to charges related to handling the explosive, driving dangerous, wilful damage and drug possession, being three Xanax pills, at Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday.

After throwing the homemade device, made from a Coca Cola bottle, at the men in June last year, Dean accelerated towards them, forcing them both to jump over a fence to avoid being hit.

Dean mounted the curb and hit the fence, causing $300 worth of damage, and then drove off.

When he was later questioned by police, Dean claimed the victims had pulled a firearm on him and he had thrown the Molotov cocktail at them “to put something between himself and the men”.

Dean’s defence lawyer told the court he had hit the fence in an attempt to swerve and avoid the firearm.

A prosecutor told the court it was “absurd” that Dean would suggest the homemade explosive device was thrown in self-defence.

“I would submit that would be an absurd situation where someone has time (after a gun was pointed at him) … to ignite a Molotov cocktail and throw it out of the vehicle,” prosecution told the court.

His lawyer added the Molotov cocktail, made from the Coca Cola bottle, is “fairly well intact” and caused “no real damage”.

“This is a less aggressive … or minor (example) of what a homemade explosive could look like (and) the damage it can cause,” she said.

Prosecution refuted this, telling the court the cocktail left scorch marks on the road where it made impact.

The court heard Dean has a “lengthy criminal history” but he has since worked “very, very hard to change his life”.

His defence asked the court to consider imposing a financial penalty.

Dean will be sentenced at a later date.

Originally published as Geelong man Dylan Dean threw Molotov cocktail made from Coca Cola bottle at two men