By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A man on bail and a mix of Valium and heroin has rammed a police car and ploughed into a family in their vehicle in an attempt to evade custody, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court has heard.
Hamish Ganaban, also known as James Marcos, 39, was approached by police at a Glen Waverley servo where he was reportedly trying to sell a whipper-snipper in a drug-affected state on 2 October.
The disqualified learner-driver then got in his stolen and unregistered car with stolen number plates, reversed and drove past police walking towards his car.
Police caught up with Ganaban in the Glen Inn motel car park in Glen Waverley. He drove off again, crashing into a police car parked over the exit.
Two police officers jumped out of the way as he collided with the police car’s passenger side.
Travelling east, Ganaban’s car mounted the median strip and crossed to the wrong side of Ferntree Gully Road.
At the intersection with Springvale Road, it struck a turning car with a father, seven-year-old boy and four-year-old girl on board.
The family received minor injuries, the injured Ganaban was taken to The Alfred hospital and then remanded in custody.
Police seized stolen bank cards and a Medicare card from Ganaban’s car, which was impounded. A small amount of heroin was found in his clothes.
On the same day, Ganaban had been due to appear at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court.
He later told police he had been “super drowsy” from a “hit” (or half a gram) of heroin with up to four Valium tablets.
On 13 August, Ganaban pleaded guilty at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court to charges including reckless conduct putting people in danger of serious injury, car theft and failing to stop for police.
He was also charged with the shop-theft of $453 of Nurofen tablets from a supermarket and an aggravated home burglary yielding $800 of jewellery, electronic goods and a knife set, as well as speeding and disqualified driving in a separate incident.
The incidents occurred whilst Ganaban was on bail after police found him asleep in his car with cannabis and a knife at Springvale cemetery in April 2017.
A defence lawyer told the court that Ganaban had been ‘clean’ for a period after being released from jail in late 2016. He had issues with drugs for most of his life, the court heard.
“He finds being on the outside very difficult. Something needs to be there to support him on release.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted Ganaban was “such a risk taker”. His criminal history, including multiple car stealing and driving offences, spanned more than 20 years.
The police-car ramming would have attracted a two-year minimum jail term, had it not predated recent laws passed by State Parliament, he said.
“People were affected by your self-destructive behaviour. You had five people at risk of harm (on 2 October).”
Ganaban was jailed for two years, with a non-parole period of 14 months. He had already served 316 days in pre-sentence detention.
He was disqualified from driving for two years.
