BARANDUDA man Christopher Daniel Copperwaite probably knew he was in trouble when he rode his unregistered and uninsured motorcycle past a NSW highway patrol car in Lavington.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sen-Constable Wayne Brady tapped the bike’s registration into a mobile data terminal and it showed it had expired in June.
So he followed Copperwaite without turning on his warning lights and caught up to him in Union Road about 10.25am on October 31.
A court heard yesterday that Sen-Constable Brady, who had his in-car video switched on, then turned on his lights and gave a short blast on his siren.
Copperwaite waved his right hand at the Racecourse Road roundabout and the officer thought he would stop.
Instead Copperwaite accelerated violently when entering the Hume Freeway and reached a speed of 180km/h.
Sen-Constable Brady was briefly caught in traffic before he accelerated to 186km/h, but the bike was already passing the North Street overpass and he ended the chase.
Copperwaite, 25, of Prohart Drive, pleaded not guilty at Albury Local Court yesterday to a charge of failing to stop in a police pursuit.
He pleaded guilty to riding an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, and unlicensed driving.
Copperwaite claimed he could not hear the police vehicle’s siren because he was wearing a beanie and hooded jacket.
“I had no idea the police were behind me,” he said.
His explanation was rejected by magistrate Tony Murray, who convicted him on the charge.
Sen-Constable Brady contacted Victorian police to tell them Copperwaite was heading their way riding his bike at high speed.
A short time later, he was told a Victorian officer was at Copperwaite’s home talking to him, so Sen-Constable Brady attended.
Solicitor Rob Hussey said Copperwaite now realised his behaviour was appalling.
Mr Murray said he accepted the pursuit was only a short one.
Copperwaite was convicted, fined $1500 and was banned from driving for two years.