By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An unlicensed, drug-fueled driver who sped head-on into Eastlink traffic on two flat tyres during a police pursuit has been spared further jail due to his “exceptional” turnaround.
Tanner Eames, 23, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to conduct endangering persons and intentionally exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving.
He also pled to robbery, drug driving, unlicensed driving, failing to stop on police direction and possessing a knife.
During the one hour pursuit on a wet night of 22 August 2020, Eames reached speeds of up to 176 km/h in a silver Commodore on Eastlink and Mornington Peninsula Freeway.
At the time, he was couch surfing, using drugs and on a community corrections order, sentencing judge Carolene Gwynn noted on 23 May.
During his “exceedingly dangerous” driving, he crossed the wrong side of the road eight times on major roads such as Springvale Road.
Thirteen civilian drivers took evasive action, according to police Air Wing and ground units.
Several times, he turned against red lights.
Police vehicles took evasive action when Eames U-turned and drove on the wrong side of the road near the Patterson River bridge in Bangholme.
He passed within two metres of a police vehicle, with officers fearing for their safety due to Eames’ excessive speed in the wet conditions.
According to police, they nearly withdrew from the pursuit several times due to the poor weather.
Two of the Commodore’s wheels were punctured by police stop-sticks at the corner of Greens and Hammond roads, Dandenong South.
But Eames drove on. He turned north on Eastlink reaching speeds of more than 100 km/h against the traffic, causing a semi-trailer driver and four other drivers to take evasive action.
Eames drove on tyre rims at about 40km/h along Ferntree Gully Road until he came to a stop on an Eastlink on-ramp.
Upon arrest, he was found with a kitchen knife, and a blood reading of 0.42 milligrams per litre of methylamphetamine.
Eames was also charged with an “immature” robbing of a former friend of his gold-coloured watch the day before the pursuit.
His “concerning” criminal history included a previous jail term. He’d been convicted for dishonesty, bail, driving and drug offences as well as recklessly causing injury.
Despite the latest “appalling” and “high-risk” offending, Eames was spared further jail due to an “exceptional” turnaround in his lifestyle.
Raised in Frankston, the intellectually-disabled Eames had long-standing drug issues and bouts of homelessness.
But since released on bail in September, he’d shown positive life changes such as stable housing, employment, family and NDIS support, clean drug tests and no compliance issues on his existing CCO.
His family had commented that they had got the “old Tanner back”.
“Mr Eames, you are to be commended for your efforts (considering) your history of drug use and abuse over a not insignificant period of time combined with your identified cognitive deficits and stressors,” Judge Gwynn said.
“Your efforts can be described as nothing short of extraordinary if not exceptional.”
In an “extraordinarily difficult” sentencing, Judge Gwynn said the community was best served by supporting Eames “moving away from a life of crime”, rather than the “retrograde” step of going back to jail.
Eames was jailed for 12 months and 14 days – which had already been served in pre-sentence detention.
He was put on a further concurrent two-and-a-half year CCO including supervision as well as 250 hours of unpaid work and mental health and drug treatment.
