A man has denied allegations he was the driver of stolen vehicles involved in three separate police pursuits, including a "highly anxious" incident where an officer was almost struck.
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Police allege Michael Howell was driving erratically, dangerously and at speed last year in stolen vehicles at Delacombe on October 14, Golden Point on October 19 and Ballarat North on October 20.
At the online Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, Howell was committed to stand trial on more than 30 charges including two counts of driving in the vicinity of an emergency worker exposing them to a risk of their safety.
A former constable, Corey Fisher, said he and a colleague attended a Delacombe address after an anonymous person called police on October 14.
He said he saw Howell, who was known to him, in a stolen white Toyota Landcruiser outside a Delacombe house.
Mr Fisher said the police vehicle's lights and siren was activated on Greenhalghs Road, 25 metres behind the Landcruiser.
The vehicle allegedly turned right onto Sutton Street when Mr Fisher said he saw a glimpse of Howell's face. He said the Landcruiser increased its speed on Tait Street and the pursuit ended to protect the public's safety.
Another police constable told the court he saw a black Audi sedan travelling about 100km/h as it passed a police vehicle in the opposite direction on Main Road, Golden Point, on October 19.
He agreed with defence barrister Luke Barker that after the police vehicle turned around near the Eureka Street and Main Road roundabout, the Audi turned off its lights and continued to drive erratically in and out of the traffic.
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The vehicle's alleged driving was too erratic for police to continue pursuing it.
Later that night at 12.30am on October 20, the police constable said he was responding to a noise complaint at an Aquila Court address in Ballarat North when he saw the same black Audi sedan.
He agreed with Mr Barker he blocked the court using the police vehicle, got out and walked towards the Audi but after 10 metres, the vehicle started driving towards him at a fast speed.
The police constable ran to his vehicle, got back inside and reversed the vehicle out of the way of the Audi to avoid a collision. He agreed the incident was a highly anxious time for him.
The Audi allegedly drove directly into the path where the police vehicle was parked to get out of the court, mounted a kerb and accelerated.
The constable said the police vehicle's lights were shining into the Audi for a second and he saw a glimpse of the driver, believed to be Howell, who he had known previously and was given an internal circular on.
The same police officers saw the Audi sedan at the Sturt and Drummond streets intersection an hour later, but they could not identify the driver.
The Audi, allegedly stolen from an Alfredton address on August 30 last year, was located in Creswick bushland and had three different fingerprints on it.
While cross-examining the informant, Senior Constable Nathan Hildebrand, Mr Barker said Howell's fingerprints were not located on the Audi.
But he said one of the fingerprints on the Audi belonged to another man who had an extensive criminal history and lived in Aquila Court.
Senior Constable Hildebrand said charges relating to the theft of the Audi had been withdrawn against this man.
A police officer who alleges he saw Howell driving the Audi a day before the Aquila Court incident was unavailable to give evidence.
Howell, who has a significant mental impairment, pleaded not guilty to all charges and will face a directions hearing in the County Court next year.
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