A MAN who allegedly rammed a Bendigo police car during a high-speed chase along the McIvor Highway has been committed to stand trial.
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Dean John West, 29, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Thursday for a committal hearing.
He formally entered pleas of not guilty to more than 40 charges, including intentionally exposing an emergency service worker to risk by driving.
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Police alleged on January 3 this year, Mr West evaded police as he sped along the McIvor Highway towards the Bendigo city centre.
Heathcote Sergeant Matthew Hunt gave evidence that he and other officers were told to stop Mr West before he entered Bendigo.
Sergeant Hunt said he was in a divisional van that pulled up in front of Mr West's car in an effort to slow the 29-year-old down and alert oncoming traffic.
The sergeant told the court that Mr West tried to overtake the police car, so the divisional van turned into Mr West's vehicle.
The court heard Mr West allegedly continued along the McIvor Highway so a Bendigo Highway Patrol vehicle overtook the accused as they approached St Vincents Road.
Bendigo Leading Senior Constable Niall King, who was driving the highway patrol car, gave evidence that Mr West had been weaving between lanes of traffic throughout the pursuit.
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Leading Senior Constable King said when he was in front of Mr West, he pressed the brake pedal slightly so the vehicle's brake lights would activate and the accused would slow down.
But the police officer told the court Mr West instead rammed the back of the highway patrol car near the intersection with Atlas Road.
The court heard after the alleged ramming, Mr West's vehicle was hit by at least one other police car.
Defence lawyer Felicity Fox told the court there was insufficient evidence to prove Mr West intended to expose the police officers to risk.
Ms Fox said Mr West did not intentionally hit any of the police cars and instead it was the police who rammed Mr West's vehicle during the pursuit.
But Magistrate Rodney Crisp said a jury could draw inference of Mr West's intentions as a result of his alleged driving.
Mr Crisp said there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial on all of the charges.
Mr West was remanded in custody. He is due to appear in the County Court for a directions hearing in November.
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