By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
AN EVICTED man chased down a council animal ranger’s car, attacked the ranger and then evaded police after his unregistered dogs were seized in Dandenong North.
A court was told on Monday that Jeffrey Keith Miller’s dogs were taken by three City of Greater Dandenong rangers while he was being evicted from his home by police and Department of Human Services staff on 1 August.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Sue McGuire told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court that the 41-year-old Hampton Park man became agitated, saying: “Who has my dogs?”
He quickly accelerated a vehicle in pursuit of one of the ranger vans, prompting police to follow him.
Miller’s vehicle cut in front of the van, causing a collision between his trailer and the van’s front-end in Fair Crescent.
The court was told the ranger locked herself in the car to protect herself as Miller demanded to know the location of his dogs and her details.
Miller then punched through the driver-side window, striking the “terrified” ranger’s arm and showering her face with glass.
“She was in fear that the accused was going to punch her head in,” Ldg Sen Const McGuire told the court.
A second ranger drew a baton and confronted Miller, who then fled in his car.
During his escape, Miller drove at an on-coming police vehicle, which was flashing emergency lights,
The police vehicle’s driver swerved the car to avoid a head-on collision.
Miller also drove off the road to avoid a make-shift police roadblock.
The court was told police decided it was unsafe to pursue the learner-permit driver due to his speed, behaviour and wet conditions.
Miller was also ordered to compensate the council for the van’s broken window.
When arrested, Miller told police he was angered because the ranger “wouldn’t hand over my dogs”.
“I just wanted to get my dogs back.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen bailed Miller to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 22 June for sentencing, pending medical confirmation the accused had an acquired brain injury that caused his impulsivity.
Mr Vandersteen foreshadowed that Miller would be put on a justice plan and community corrections order.
“If you re-offend (in the meantime), all bets are off.”
