Mikayla Mifka, 27, faced Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Monday where police allege she was also involved in a dangerous driving incident which saw a vehicle travelling more than 100 km/h in a residential area.
“(Ms Mifka) is a danger to the safety and welfare of the public — police believe she committed dangerous driving offences while drug-affected, which could have disastrous consequences,” Senior Constable Sarah Trewin told the court.
Ms Mifka was denied bail on Monday after she was arrested in the early hours of August 16.
The court heard at about 2 am on Sunday, Shepparton detectives observed a Mitsubishi Triton ute, which police allege was driven by the accused, weaving onto the wrong side of the road while driving at around 110 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.
After travelling through a red light at the Wilmot Rd intersection, police attempted to take up position behind the vehicle but were "unable to get close enough due to the fast rate of speed".
“The vehicle turned right onto Guthrie St crossing onto the wrong side of the road ... the accused proceeded through residential streets with no headlights on and at a fast rate of speed,” Sen Constable Trewin said.
A short time late police located the vehicle parked in front of a house in Colliver Rd, with police alleging Ms Mifka and her passenger fled the vehicle on foot.
“The police canine unit attended the scene and tracked the accused and (co-accused) in the backyard of the Colliver Rd home and arrested them,” Sen Constable Trewin said.
The court heard police located a black handbag belonging to the accused with a number of items inside including empty zip lock bags, powder substance believed to be MDMA, a large amount of drug paraphernalia and a clear liquid believed to be GHB.
Sen Constable Trewin said police also conducted an analysis of the accused's mobile phone where they located content relating to the "trafficking of illicit substances".
The accused provided "no comment" answers during her record of interview.
Ms Mifka's lawyer Lauren Bull questioned the strength of the police case, saying there were "some central pieces of the puzzle" missing.
Ms Bull told the court her client suffered from mental illness and significant anxiety which saw her become increasingly agitated, traumatised and finding it difficult to cope when she was alone.
An issue that Ms Bull said needed to be considered if the accused was remanded into custody.
“She has spent a night-and-a-half in the cells and she is very scared in entering a prison,” she said.
“Ms Mifka is an asthmatic and she relies on her Ventolin inhaler — COVID-19 affects those with existing respiratory issues, which would make it difficult for her to socially distance and protect herself in custody.”
Ms Bull said her client had a "quite traumatic history" which was a "key reason" for her drug use on weekends.
Ms Bull urged Magistrate Peter Mithen to release her client to avoid the possibility of her spending more time on remand in prison than she would be sentenced to.
Mr Mithen denied Ms Mifka's bail, remanding her to appear in court again on September 15.
No plea was entered.
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