Man charged after police vehicle rammed by stolen car

Police have charged a man after he allegedly rammed a police car before setting a stolen car on fire in Cockatoo yesterday.

The 25-year-old man has been charged with more than 35 charges including:

• aggravated offence reckless expose police officer to risk by driving (x2)

• damage emergency service vehicle by reckless driving

• dangerous driving whilst pursued by police (x2)

• assault police

• fail to stop on police direction (x3)

• drive in a manner dangerous and speed dangerous

• criminal damage by fire

• attempted burglary

• multiple shop thefts.

The charges follow an incident just after 12.30pm when police spotted the allegedly stolen car on Manchester Road in Mooroolbark.

During the incident the driver allegedly rammed a police vehicle before he sped off travelling through several suburbs to Cockatoo where he dumped the car and allegedly set it alight.

The Boronia man was arrested by police nearby.

The charges also relate to several reported thefts over the past month, other incidents of driving off from police and the theft of a motor vehicle from Hampton.

The man has been remanded in custody to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.

/Public Release. View in full here.