Workshop’s burnout cars forfeited

The Mild to Wild workshop in Pakenham. 299665_02

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Two modified cars have been ordered to be forfeited to the state due to birthday burnouts at a Pakenham auto factory.

Victoria Police successfully applied for the order at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 13 September, arguing the 2003 Holden ute and 1996 Commodore sedan were “tainted property”.

The vehicles had been driven by a man and a woman near bystanders at Mild 2 Wild Auto Dezigns.

The pair had earlier pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering serious injury and were not convicted.

A police summary alleged that the female L-plater had dropped a ‘shed skid’ in a relative’s sedan for about 45 seconds on her 18th birthday in September 2021.

The month before, the male dropped a burnout in his ute for up to 37 seconds on his 21st birthday, according to police.

During the woman’s standing burnout, debris flicked from the rear tyres, causing people to move out of the way.

One of the rear tyres popped at the 30-second mark, the other after 35 seconds.

She continued driving for 10 further seconds despite the popped tyres, police alleged.

“If the vehicle were to lose control, the bystanders standing in front and behind the vehicle would be placed in danger, likely resulting in serious injury,” the summary stated.

Meanwhile, the unregistered ute featured fake novelty plates ‘THRSHD LS’ and a Domino’s Pizza car topper on the roof.

It was metres from bystanders including a person directly next to the spinning rear tyre, according to a police summary.

Police said the factory was filled with smoke during the skid, meaning “zero visibility” for the driver and spectators.

The driver’s TikTok account was tagged with a video of the burnout.

According to police, Mild 2 Wild Auto Dezigns was a workshop for “vehicle customisation, accident repairs and new genuine/aftermarket parts”.

In making the forfeiture orders, magistrate Jacinta Studham rejected an argument that the modified cars were being tested for off-street motorsport events.

They were no longer used on public roads, and so were not a danger to the public, the defence argued.

However, the judge noted that the offending was in a public place, not a motorsport event.

In pleading guilty, the pair conceded there was a danger to the community, Ms Studham stated.

She didn’t accept that confiscating the vehicles caused undue hardship. Both vehicles were unregistered and their drivers had access to other vehicles, the court heard.

“It is my view that the motor vehicles were tainted property (used) for criminal offending.”

Defence lawyer Younis Yehia indicated the drivers would appeal the decision.