A Beaufort man who drove at police vehicles and swerved across lanes of traffic in Melbourne's north-west has been jailed for almost two years.
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Benjamin Park, 24, was sentenced in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday, after pleading guilty to a raft of charges including driving in a manner dangerous and exposing emergency workers to harm.
At 3.40am, he attended a Keilor address and smashed the driver's side window of a Toyota Hilux.
The car alarm was set off, and the owner confronted Park, chasing him away. At 4am, Park gained access to a blue and silver Nissan patrol at another Keilor home.
After calling 000, the owners of the Nissan found Park in his Peugeot in Maple Drive, Keilor, where he reversed his vehicle into the victim's car.
The court heard earlier this week that when police arrived at the scene, they observed Park driving his car in a slip lane on the Old Calder Highway where he was on the wrong side of the road.
Police activated emergency lights and followed the 24-year-old for 50 metres, before deciding the pursuit was too dangerous and stopping in the north-west bound lane of the highway.
While stationary, Park drove at police at a fast rate of speed, and only swerved away two metres from the police car.
Continuing to Green Gully Road, another police vehicle pursued Park at speeds of around 130km/h. The man drove on the wrong side of the road for 300 metres and swerved across three lanes of traffic on Taylors Road.
On May 15, Park crashed his Peugeot at 12.15am on an Exford Road intersection while on methamphetamine. He was taken to hospital with facial injuries.
Defence lawyer Tim Tyler said Park is a "young man who pleaded guilty early, has family support .. and fully accepts his need to overcome drug dependency".
Magistrate Bruce Cottrill sentenced Park to 22 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 16 months, and had his license disqualified for five years. The man will be required to undergo driver training and pay a $500 fine.