A PROPOSED bail application on behalf of a Bright man charged with culpable driving over a crash that killed his passenger did not proceed in court yesterday.
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Earlier this week solicitor Geoff Clancy said in Wangaratta Magistrates Court that a bail application would be made for John Paul Cole, 35, when he appeared yesterday.
Magistate Ian Watkins was advised yesterday of the planned application which was expected to take about 30 minutes.
But solicitor Alison Vaughan, just before lunch, said that bail would not be sought.
Mr Watkins ordered the preparation of a police evidence brief by June 12 and remanded Cole to appear on July 17 for a committal mention.
Ms Vaughan said there was no objection to a police application seeking a DNA swab from Cole.
Prosecutor Sen-Constable Sarah Williamson said police were seeking to have a medical officer check Cole for injuries.
Cole’s Holden Commodore struck a power pole on Bright’s Churchill Avenue early on Saturday.
The crash happened on a bend in an 80km/h zone on Churchill Avenue in Bright just before 1am as Cole was allegedly driving south near the Back Wandiligong Road.
Police have alleged that Cole fled the scene.
By 7.30am, major collision investigation group detectives from Melbourne had laid charges against him.
It was Cole’s third time in court yesterday after fronting an out-of-sessions hearing on Saturday night and then an appearance on Monday before magistrate John O’Callaghan.
When the bail application was mentioned, prosecutor Sen-Constable Heath Dosser said police would strongly oppose it.
