An aspiring AFL player accused of leading police on a drug-fuelled, high-speed chase and trying to run down a police officer before crashing into innocent motorists wants to be bailed so he can get back to work.
Apai Ali, 19, from Whittington in Geelong, appeared before a magistrate this morning after being charged following the New Year’s pursuit.
It is alleged Mr Ali stole a car from a house in the Melbourne suburb of Wyndham Vale; then at 10.30pm on New Year’s Eve it’s alleged Ali and an 16 year old accomplice threatened to stab four boys, aged 14 and 15, before stealing their mobile phones and wallets.
Shortly after 2.30am a local detective in the Geelong area spotted the allegedly stolen Holden Calais and opted to give chase.
Court documents reveal police will allege Mr Ali was driving at speeds of 180km/hr with multiple police cars in pursuit.
Police allege the driver was Mr Ali and that he was driving for extended periods on the wrong side of the road.
Police deployed road spikes on the Geelong Road at Corio, as the car drove over them one tyre deflated, but the driver kept going.
The car was followed by the Airwing travelling towards Melbourne, before the drive did a U-turn at Brooklyn driving back to Geelong.
Police alleged again Mr Ali reached speeds of 130 to 180km/hr.
Once again road spikes were used, but police allege, as the officer was deploying the spikes, Mr Ali drove at her, forcing her to dive to safety.
The spikes blew out all three tyres but didn’t stop the drive.
Police allege Mr Ali continued on his car colliding with a taxi at Fynans Street in Geelong, before crashing into other vehicles, stopping after he struck an unmarked police car.
9NEWS has obtained CCTV of the dramatic moment the chase came to an end. A man, who police will allege is Mr Ali, is shown trying to flee the scene on foot.
Five officers can be seen giving chase to the man before arresting him 500 metres away at the back of a church.
His co-accused was detained at the scene.
Witnesses have also spoken exclusively to 9NEWS about the terrifying moments they spotted the car hurtling towards them.
Ash Mee from Bendigo was driving home when he spotted the headlights about 4.30am.
“I was coming up the Bellarnien Highway, next thing there was a car with high beams coming at me so I flashed him, he didn’t turn them off, next thing he went past me on the wrong side of the road. I had to pull on to the nature strip,” Mr Mee said.
“He had no tyre on his rims, sparks flying everywhere. Then about eight cops followed him.”
“(I was thinking) pretty much ‘I’m not dying yet. I’m getting out of the way. I was really scared,'” he added.
“He would’ve been about half a metre away from the car. If I didn’t pull on to the nature strip I would’ve been collected.”
At an out of sessions hearing yesterday, Mr Ali denied he had been involved in the robbery stating, “There’s lots of black people around with hair like this.”
This morning he fronted a magistrate, wearing a blue jumpsuit as he stood, arms folded listening to the magistrate’s instructions.
He was advised to seek some legal guidance before the next hearing, as it was indicated he wanted to make a bail application so he could return to work.
He also said he was still suffering headaches after his arrest.
The court was told Mr Ali is on anxiety medication, and medication to control mood swings.
He was remanded in custody to reappear at the Geelong Magistrates Court on January 12.
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