A 23-year-old driver will find himself before the courts after allegedly claiming his vehicle was stolen when it was clocked by police travelling at 224km/h in Bungaree.
Police were on patrol on the Western Highway as part of Operation Furlong, over the Melbourne Cup long weekend, when a speeding vehicle drew their attention on the Western Highway.
Officers clocked the Holden Commodore VE allegedly travelling at more than 160km/h in a 110km/h zone at 12.24am on 1 November.
Police attempted to intercept the vehicle however when it reached speeds of 224km/h and turned off its lights, officers terminated the chase due to safety concerns.
Within hours of the incident, it’s alleged the registered owner reported his vehicle stolen to police.
Officers continued their investigation and arrested the 23-year-old registered owner of the vehicle on 10 November.
Officers interviewed the Ballarat man and will allege that he falsely reported his vehicle being stolen.
He is expected to be charged on summons with perjury, false report and failing to nominate the driver of the vehicle.
Investigations into who was driving at the time of the incident remain ongoing.
Ballarat Highway Patrol Leading Senior Constable Ben Hay said community safety is the number one priority when it comes to making decisions around the pursuit of vehicles that are driving dangerously on the roads.
“Driving at these speeds is exceedingly dangerous for both the driver and other motorists – a crash at these speeds can only end in tragedy.
“While a driver may escape police on the day, that’s just the start of our investigation to determine who was behind the wheel at the time so we can bring them before the courts.”
