James Cole is chased by police while driving down Majura Parkway on an e-scooter last December. Photo: Screenshot.
An e-scooter rider fled from police along a highway in Canberra, nearly hitting 100 km/h, before speeding along a bike path at 80 km/h because he was late for work.
Body-worn camera footage screened to the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday (3 May) captured James Cole, who had drugs in his system at the time, flying down the side of Majura Parkway on his scooter at 94 km/h on 22 December 2022.
He refused to pull over for two police officers on motorcycles and they gave chase, continuing to pursue him as he turned off the highway and onto a bike path.
About six cyclists had to pull off the path as Cole continued to flee until he eventually fell off his scooter and was grabbed by the officers. He then told them he was sorry.
“I’m late, man. I got a final warning at work the other day and I don’t want to stuff it up,” he said.
“Please, it’s Christmas and that.”
One of the officers told him he had been driving like “an absolute madman”. The chase lasted for about three minutes until he was arrested.
Cole, who arrived about an hour late for his sentencing on Wednesday (3 May), at one stage appeared to fall asleep in the courtroom while his lawyer was speaking.
“He’s either intoxicated or he’s been using drugs today because he’s sitting in my court and he’s falling asleep,” Special Magistrate Sean Richter remarked.
Cole’s lawyer, Brandon Bodel from Andrew Byrnes Law Group, told the court his client had worked as a mechanic but had lost his job due to the incident as he was on his final warning.
He argued the 38-year-old had used the e-scooter as his “best form of transportation to work” and thought he had been abiding by the law.
“If he thought he was doing the right thing, he would have stopped,” Special Magistrate Richter remarked.
Mr Bodel said his client’s mental health at the time was not in a good way, which had led to increased drug use and, when coupled with his job issues, he had panicked and made a split-second decision.
He said Cole had weighed the prospects of not keeping his job, which he enjoyed, and pulling over for the police.
Unfortunately, he said he didn’t have the rationality to do what he should have done that day.
James Cole (left) speaks to his lawyer, Brandon Bodel, before his sentencing on Wednesday. Photo: Albert McKnight.
Special Magistrate Richter said it was common knowledge in the community that you couldn’t ride these types of scooters with alcohol or drugs in your system, “even the little orange ones and the purple ones that try and run me over all the time”.
He said “the potential for catastrophe was real” during the chase, not just for Cole but also for any other cyclist in his path.
Cole pleaded guilty to and was convicted on seven charges, including failing to stop a motor vehicle for police, driving while disqualified, drug driving, driving in a bike lane and riding without a helmet.
He was sentenced to four months’ jail, suspended after serving one month and disqualified from driving for 13 months.
“As long as you are taking drugs, you will be involved in crime,” the special magistrate told him.
He will be released from custody in June 2023.
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