Police officer feared death as ice-addled hoon rammed car
A police officer said she thought she was going to die when an ice-addled hoon rammed her patrol car with such force that its airbags deployed.
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A police officer said she thought she was going to die when an ice-addled hoon rammed her patrol car with such force that its airbags deployed.
Matthew Jager pleaded guilty to leading officers on a high-speed pursuit in a stolen car through Melbourne’s outer west in July last year.
Jager, 25, is set to be the first person to be sentenced under tough new anti-ramming laws, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years’ jail.
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The County Court heard Jager baited officers to follow him and his co-accused, after they were spotted driving a stolen Holden Jackaroo in Melton South in the early hours of July 21.
Police clocked Jager doing 130kmh in a 60kmh zone as his passenger filmed the chase on his phone, crying “Come on piggies” to pursuing police. Jager was heard on the footage yelling: “I’m gonna ram ya!”
At about 1.15am, Jager drove the four-wheel-drive across two lanes of traffic and a median strip on the Western Hwy before ending up in front of a police car driven by First Constable Brittany Webster.
Jager then slammed on the brakes and came to an abrupt stop, forcing Constable Webster and her partner Constable Ricky Bromley to do the same.
Jager then reversed into the police car, slamming into the pair before speeding away.
The officers were left with cuts and bruising, but said they counted themselves lucky to have escaped serious injury.
In a victim impact statement, Constable Webster said she “felt like we were going to be killed … The moment of impact replays in my head all the time. I shouldn’t have fear when I go to work.”
Her partner, Constable Bromley, said that he had reconsidered his career in the police force.
“I didn’t sign up to policing to have people drive cars at me,” he said.
Judge Lisa Hannan said Jager’s behaviour was “absolutely unbelievable” and an example of serious offending.
Defence lawyer Michael Reardon said his client had shown remorse by entering an early guilty plea and had a “limited” criminal history.
Legislation introduced in December 2017 means anyone found guilty of intentionally exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving must spend at least two-years behind bars.
Jager will return to court for sentencing Friday.