A MAN who drove his vehicle into a traffic island near a Lavington school later tried to elude police and went through a red light at a busy intersection, Albury Court was told yesterday.
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Adam Jay Azzi claimed when giving evidence yesterday that his driving on February 28 was “normal” as he tried to escape from Albury police officer Sen-Constable Dave Kennedy.
However he admitted having smoked cannabis and taken prescription medication earlier before crashing his vehicle.
Azzi said he was aware that he was being sought because a friend who monitors police channels with a scanner rang him on his mobile phone.
He went through a red light at the Guinea St-David St intersection after accelerating harshly, cut the corner at Macauley St and hid in a Wilson St car park before police found him.
Azzi, 32, of Lester St, Albury, yesterday pleaded not guilty to charges of dangerous driving and failing to give details to the owner of damaged property.
He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, refusing to provide a urine sample and negligent driving.
Sen-Constable Kennedy activated warning devices on his police vehicle and followed Azzi through the red light at David St and along Guinea St.
Azzi sped down Macauley St and increased his lead on the police vehicle.
Sen-Constable Kennedy said he saw Azzi turn into Wilson St, but people standing on the footpath pointed the direction his vehicle went.
Magistrate Peter Dare SC said Azzi’s version of what happened was “a mixture of fact and fiction” and his driving was a serious breach of the road rules.
Mr Dare said it was his finding that Azzi had no intention of reporting the accident at Lavington.
There was direct evidence from Azzi that he was trying to elude police before being apprehended and arrested.
Mr Dare convicted Azzi on the two charges.
Azzi was fined a total of $1850 on the five charges by Mr Dare and disqualified from driving for two years.