EKREM Vrbovac had just turned 18 when he got involved in street racing, trying to elude police in his turbo-charged Nissan by turning off his lights at night in a desperate escape attempt.
But his bid to outrun a highway patrol vehicle came unstuck at a Lavington intersection when he lost control, hit a gutter and crashed into a metal fence.
His badly damaged vehicle was towed and when asked by police why he doused his lights, he said: “So I could get away”.
It led to Vrbovac, of Dirru Court, being charged under the Skye’s Law legislation with failing to stop in a police pursuit and taking part in street racing.
He appeared in Albury Local Court yesterday for sentencing after previously pleading guilty, with a pre-sentence report ordered by magistrate Tony Murray.
Solicitor Paul Robb said of Vrbovac’s offending: “He has jumped in at the deep end”.
Mr Murray said there were factors of mitigation in Vrbovac’s favour with the pursuit over a short distance and taking a short time.
But there were aggravating factors with the lights turned off and an accident.
Mr Murray said pursuits often resulted in a loss of life for the occupants of vehicles, and worse still at times innocent people were killed.
He said since the introduction of Skye’s Law there had been significant public interest to ensure offenders were dealt with appropriately.
Mr Murray said Vrbovac presented a danger to other road users and was driving a vehicle which breached his licence conditions.
He was fined $400 and banned from driving for 12 months for street racing with a four-month intensive corrections ordered and an 18-month ban imposed for the pursuit offence.
Vrbovac was seen racing a utility in Wagga Road away from the lights at the Fiveways intersection about 9.07pm on October 8.
The utility pulled over when police turned to follow and Vrbovac accelerated away to a speed estimated in excess of 110km/h before turning into McDonald Road.
A pursuit was started and Vrbovac’s vehicle was just visible due to braking after the lights went off.
He crashed at the Kotthoff Street intersection after losing control and his vehicle.
He admitted to police being aware a licence condition prevented him from driving a turbo-charged vehicle.
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