A recently released prisoner is back behind bars after he allegedly drove a car with only three wheels at a police officer during a "stupid" high-speed pursuit.
Kevin Thomas Clarke, 42, only spent about a month as a free man before being returned to Canberra's jail on Saturday, when he was charged with eight new offences and refused bail.
In documents tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court, police allege the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta failed to stop as directed and took off along Aikman Drive, in Belconnen, about 1.50am on Saturday.
Officers spotted the vehicle again about 15 minutes later, when they claim to have seen it travelling "well in excess" of the 80km/h speed limit on Barry Drive near Black Mountain.
Police deployed a device that deflated the vehicle's front left tyre at the intersection with Marcus Clarke Street in Civic, but the Jetta is said to have continued through the city and onto Parkes Way.
"While on Parkes Way, the front left tyre of the Jetta was observed by police to completely fall off the vehicle," the documents state.
When police attempted to deploy another tyre deflation device on the same road, the car is said to have changed course and driven straight towards a senior constable at about 120km/h.
The officer had to take evasive action to avoid being hit, according to police.
The pursuit then continued onto the Tuggeranong Parkway, where officers say "pieces of metal were continuously shearing off from the damaged Jetta and striking the pursuing police vehicle" as the Volkswagen drove at speeds of up to 160km/h on only three wheels.
Eventually, 14 minutes after the chase began, the Jetta stopped on a greenbelt in Kambah and a person was seen running from it.
That person, later identified as Clarke, was arrested following a short foot pursuit.
The 42-year-old returned a positive drug test result and was taken to City Police Station, where he told officers he had used a "bugger all" quantity of "meth" the previous day.
A search of the Jetta, which was bearing number plates issued to a blue Mazda 2, also revealed a quantity of illicit drugs that remain the subject of an investigation.
When Clarke appeared in court via audio-visual link on Saturday, he was charged with eight offences that included dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving at police and drug-driving.
He did not enter pleas to the new charges, which also included driving while disqualified, using an unregistered vehicle, using an uninsured vehicle, and using number plates calculated to deceive.
Legal Aid duty lawyer Stephanie Corish told the court Clarke had been on bail at the time of his latest arrest, asking magistrate James Lawton to simply add another condition and release the 42-year-old.
Ms Corish said Clarke, a father of three, had been working and "enjoying all the rewards that come with employment" since he was released from jail just four or five weeks ago.
She told the court drug use was clearly the 42-year-old's primary risk factor.
"He instructs that he's motivated to cease his involvement with illicit substances," Ms Corish said.
"He said quite frankly this morning that he's getting too old for this, and that his decision ... was a stupid decision".
Prosecutor Lauren Knobel opposed bail, saying the existing conditions had been strict but still incapable of deterring Clarke from his alleged reoffending in the early hours of the morning.
Clarke had placed emergency services and members of the public at risk with a "clear decision to evade police", Ms Knobel said as she argued he posed a likelihood of reoffending and endangering others.
Mr Lawton ultimately said while Clarke had made some positive progress recently, the seriousness of the new allegations meant he was not satisfied he could impose appropriate bail conditions.
He accordingly remanded Clarke in custody until his next court appearance on May 20.
