Driver pleads guilty after crashing car into home causing $180k damage

An unlicensed driver who crashed his car through a power pole and into a north-west Victorian home metres from where a 70-year-old man was sleeping, before fleeing on foot, has pleaded guilty.

The Mildura Magistrates' Court heard that the crash on Game Street, Merbein on May 11 this year caused more than $156,000 damage to the home, and more than $25,000 damage to the power pole.

Paul Jenkins, 40, pleaded guilty to more than a dozen charges, including reckless conduct endangering life and reckless driving.

The court heard Jenkins had purchased the Ford Falcon XR6 with the licence plate L3GDI7 (LEGGED IT) only five days prior. 

The court heard that immediately after the crash, Jenkins ran from the scene with a male co-accused, leaving a pair of thongs in the footwell.

He was arrested on June 22 after a series of further driving offences.

A trail of destruction

The court heard that after his arrest, Jenkins told police he believed the steering arm of the vehicle had broken just before the crash.

Game Street has a 50km/h speed limit, and his estimated speed was not disclosed in court.

After crashing through the pole, a tin fence and the room of a house, the car came to a stop 2 metres from a bed where a 70-year-old man was sleeping.

A victim impact statement read on behalf of the man described how the impact knocked the house off its stumps and buckled the flooring.

"I heard the revving, the bang of the crash and the movement of my house," the statement read.

"I was lucky that night, but back in the day my grandchildren would sleep in the room that was totalled."

The resident said he had been forced to camp without electricity for about two and a half months due to the damage.

"He ran, not caring who the occupants of the house were," the statement read.

"Paul needs to grow up.

"My son is his age. [Paul Jenkins] needs to face the consequences of his actions before someone is killed."

Other vehicle offences

Jenkins' lawyer, Johann Ollquist, told the court her client fled because he knew he was unlicensed.

She said Jenkins was in a panicked state and assumed no-one was in the home as he did not see a car in the driveway.

Ms Ollquist said this incident and other offences committed by Jenkins while using methamphetamine were "frightening".

Jenkins also pleaded guilty to charges in relation to a June 18 incident in which he chased a female driver at 180 km/h before crashing his gold Holden VT Commodore into her right rear passenger door at an intersection. 

The woman was able to drive away.

The court heard the empty Commodore was found submerged with its engine and wipers on in the Murray River that evening.

Jenkins also pleaded guilty to doing burnouts and slashing the tyres of two cars on Game Street on June 21.

The prosecution and defence agreed that jail time with a non-parole period would be an appropriate sentence.

Ms Ollquist said Jenkins had demonstrated he could remain drug-free while in custody, and desired to remain drug-free.

She said he had completed a drug program while on remand, was shortlisted to participate in two others, and wanted to undertake residential rehabilitation upon his release.

Magistrate Greg Thomas said a psychological report prior to sentencing would benefit Jenkins, the court and the community.