Braiden Craig to be sentenced in County Court after insane wrong-way police chase

A drug affected man who stole a truck and risked the lives of several people on a white knuckle, wrong-way police chase that spanned Geelong will be sentenced in the County Court. WATCH VIDEO

A drug-affected man who stole a truck and risked the lives of multiple people on a white-knuckle, wrong-way police chase across Geelong will be sentenced in the County Court.

Braiden Craig, of Mount Martha, appeared via video link from prison in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where his matter was moved to the higher court.

The 28-year-old was charged with 43 offences, stemming from a wild car chase through southeast Geelong on June 25 last year, including multiple counts of aggravated exposure of emergency services to risk by driving and reckless conduct endangering death and serious injury.

He was also charged with theft of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving, dangerous driving, burglary, theft, drug possession and drug-driving following the incident on the Bellarine Highway.

He told the court on Wednesday he intended to plead guilty.

The court was shown vision of the dramatic chase through Thompson, Newcomb, Leopold and Moolap that magistrate Franz Holzer described as some of the worst he’d seen.

“I have seen some footage over the years and seen some horrible footage,” he said.

“This is up there, this is right up there.”

The truck on the Bellarine Highway. Picture: Supplied

The court heard his Izuzu truck was driving on the wrong side of the road “on the rim of one tire” and into oncoming traffic during the prolonged and dangerous pursuit.

Mr Craig was serving a Community Corrections Order at the time of the offending and had prior convictions for burglary and theft of motor vehicles.

Mr Holzer said the “risk of life and limb was highly significant” and said the seriousness of offending demanded “the gravitas of a superior court”.

The time of day, potential risk to schoolchildren and school zones were all relevant, according to Mr Holzer, calling Mr Craig’s offending “a significant risk to public safety”.

A school crossing “lollipop lady” and two police officers were required to take evasive action, the court was told.

Mr Craig will appear for plea in the Geelong County Court on August 4.

Originally published as Braiden Craig to be sentenced in County Court after insane wrong-way police chase