A P-plater hit a police car after running a red light, a court has heard.
Hassen Al Jaberi, 19, of Shepparton pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to failing to stop at a red light.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Luke Lund told the court Al Jaberi drove his Toyota sedan into the intersection of High St and St Georges Rd when the light had changed to red at 3.30pm on December 20 last year.
Al Jaberi’s vehicle “slammed into” the left side side of a Toyota Kluger police vehicle that was turning right, causing $25,478 worth of damage and writing off the Kluger, Sen Constable Lund said.
In a police interview, Al Jaberi said he had come out of a service station and the traffic light was yellow, Sen Constable Lund said.
No-one was injured in the crash.
Sen Constable Lund said Al Jaberi had no priors.
Al Jaberi was fined on the spot, but elected to go to court over the matter.
Representing himself in court, Al Jaberi said his car was also written off in the crash, and while he had insurance, he had to pay $1800 excess.
Magistrate Marita Altman fined Al Jaberi $454 — the same amount as the fine issued by police — and ordered he pay $84.40 in court costs.
She did not disqualify him from driving.
“You need to drive like your licence is important to you,” Ms Altman said.
“You have to drive like everybody else on the road doesn’t know what they’re doing. It’s called defensive driving.”
The magistrate also told Al Jaberi he had been lucky.
“I can see other charges could have been given,” she said.
“You would never be this lucky again. You got out unscathed and police got out unscathed.”