A 34-year-old man has been charged following an extensive pursuit in Trafalgar, where several police vehicles were rammed, and an officer was injured on December 31.
Darren Reid has been charged with 66 offences, including carjacking, aggravated burglary with an offensive weapon, armed robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, reckless conduct endangering life, attempted aggravated burglary, aggravated intentional exposure to a police officer to risk by driving, drive manner dangerous, drive speed dangerous, dangerous driving while being pursued by police and unlicensed driving.
Mr Reid appeared at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court via video link on January 2. His lawyer said that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been without medication for weeks.
It is alleged that the man was involved in a series of incidents in the La Trobe area between December 28 and 30.
The crime investigation unit received reports of a petrol drive-off by an allegedly stolen Mitsubishi Outlander in Tyers at 8:20am on December 31. An attempt was made to intercept the vehicle as it drove towards Trafalgar. It is alleged that the vehicle rammed a parked police vehicle, which caused it to collide with and injure a police officer.
Following the chase, the Mitsubishi crashed through a fence on Anzac Road.
