Police started following the Holden Rodeo ute, being driven by Jacob Ford, after they saw it travelling along Tait Street without registration plates at 12.10pm on August 16.

Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant Simon Pearce said Ford, a disqualified driver, turned east into Morgan Street and increased the ute's speed.

He said Ford disregarded a stop sign at the Morgan and Grant streets intersection and collided with a black Toyota hatchback, causing it to roll several times and land on its roof.

Ford, who was driving his brother's vehicle, hit a small tree and the ute came to a stop.

Acting Sergeant Pearce said the driver of the Toyota hatchback and her 13-year-old passenger were uninjured while Ford was unconscious and had to be cut out of the ute.

He said Ford was confused and dazed when he woke up and an ambulance transported him to hospital. The two victims were treated for shock at St John of God Hospital.

Ford, 35, suffered a broken shoulder blade and swelling on the brain.

Police searched the ute Ford was driving and found a machete in the passenger side foot well. He was on two community corrections orders at the time.

Ford pleaded guilty to four charges, including careless driving and disqualified driving, at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He admitted breaching two community corrections orders.

Magistrate Noreen Toohey told Ford it was lucky everyone survived the crash without serious injury.

She said he should not have been behind the wheel, having been disqualified from driving for 12 months from March, 2020.

"He is lucky to be sitting where he is today and not killed. Had he killed (the victims) he could be charged with culpable driving," Ms Toohey said.

"It's sheer luck."

Defence lawyer Hollie Lyons said the police lost sight of her client due to a dip in Morgan Street and Ford did not see the police vehicle following him.

She said Ford did not see the stop sign or an 80km/h speed sign before the crash at the Morgan and Grant streets intersection.

"He has long-lasting injuries that he needs rehabilitation for," Ms Lyons said.

She said Ford was remorseful shown by his concern about the victims as soon as he became conscious after the crash and his guilty plea.

Ms Lyons said Ford had operated his own carpet and vinyl laying business from when he left school in year eight up until three years ago and his apprentices saw him as a role model.

Ms Lyons said Ford became burnt-out due to working seven days a week and he stopped his own business and started working with his brothers.

The court was told Ford was a well-respected Ballarat Falcons gridiron player and he had three children with one woman and a nine-month old baby with another partner.

Ms Lyons said Ford had family ties to New Zealand and he spent his childhood living in New Zealand, Geelong and Ballarat.

She submitted there was no sentence other than imprisonment because Ford was on remand for another matter which would take some time to proceed and a filing hearing was held last month.

The magistrate cancelled Ford's two community corrections orders and re-sentenced him to a total sentence of four months' imprisonment.

Ms Toohey said after looking at Ford's prior offences over the past two years, he had done nothing to help his drug use.

"It's really very sad. Here is someone who has worked hard, has three children to one relationship and (his fourth child) asking where Dad is," she said.

In relation to the driving offences on the day of the crash, Ford was fined $1400 and jailed for 150 days, of which he has served through pre-sentence detention.

Ms Toohey said if Ford had not been in custody for other matters, he would have had the benefit of another community corrections order.

"I thought the penny would have dropped that his life is spiraling out of control but I think it's too late for that," she said.

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