Driver arrested after police corner car in Melbourne CBD
A MAN has been charged with conduct endangering life after he allegedly mounted a Bourke St footpath and rammed a police car yesterday forcing CBD workers to run for their lives.
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A MAN who allegedly terrorised peak hour city commuters on Bourke St yesterday was free on bail at the time of the incident.
Homeless man Jackson Ireland, 23, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today where he faced a swag of charges including reckless conduct endangering life.
The court heard Mr Ireland had been on bail at the time of the alleged offences.
Magistrate Andrew Capell refused to provide the media with access to Mr Ireland’s outstanding charges that he was originally bailed on.
City workers were forced to run for their lives after the allegedly unlicensed driver mounted a Bourke St footpath and rammed a police car.
Court documents allege Mr Ireland robbed a man of his mobile phone and car keys while armed with a hunting knife on October 25 in East Melbourne.
Police claim he stole a car worth $5000 yesterday which he used to ram a police car on Bourke St.
A firearm in his possession was later found to be an imitation.
Police also allegedly found a quantity of ecstasy and methamphetamine in his possession.
Mr Ireland, who did not apply for bail, sat quietly through his short filing hearing.
A Victorian Legal Aid lawyer requested Mr Ireland be seen by a nurse due to concerns for his mental health.
It is his first time behind bars and he will return to court later this month.
Yesterday shaken workers told the Herald Sun they hid in the back of their store for about 10 minutes after hearing four loud bangs ring out along Bourke St shortly after 5pm yesterday.
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“We just ran and hid. We thought it was another Bourke St. We were all here for that so we were terrified,” said a worker, who wished to remain anonymous.
The incident came to a dramatic end when police tasered the driver, who is accused of ramming a police car while an officer was on foot nearby.
Police said last night it was unclear whether the incident was terror-related.
The incident unfolded along the same stretch of road in which innocent victims lost their lives in the Bourke St massacre in January.
Police allege the man was lying unconscious inside a blue Toyota Corolla parked on the side of the road with a smashed windshield.
When police approached the vehicle, the man allegedly drove toward police, ramming a police car.
Police swooped, cornering the man and taking him to the ground with a taser.
He was taken to hospital for assessment.
No-one else was injured.
Witnesses were heard screaming with terror.
“We heard one yell that the guy had a gun,” the worker said.
“Police were yelling at him to get out of the car but he wouldn’t. It went on for about 30 seconds.
“He was driving on the wrong side of the road for a bit. He smashed into the police car then tried to reverse to escape the cops.”