Spencer Dennis, 26, who also goes by the name of Spencer Morgan, was driving the car just minutes before the fatal crash on the Vale Road in March last year.

Dennis had earlier failed to stop for police who initiated a pursuit before Dennis stopped the car and absconded on foot.

A man who had been a passenger in the car while Dennis was driving then got behind the wheel and drove off. Minutes later the car crashed on the Vale Road, killing the driver.

Bathurst Local Court heard that the Hyundai came to the attention of a marked highway patrol car when the automatic number plate recognition system alerted officers that it was an unregistered vehicle possibly being driven by a suspended driver.

Officers activated their warning lights and turned to follow the vehicle.

The Hyundai, being driven at that stage by Dennis, pulled into a driveway in Currawong Street and police exited their vehicle and called for the driver to get out. The Hyundai then moved backwards and forwards before driving over the front yard.

Police followed the Hyundai onto Lloyds Road, Hamley Street and then Alfred Street where it partially pulled into a driveway before Dennis opened the door and ran off.

As officers chased Dennis on foot, the front passenger moved into the driver’s seat and drove off in the vehicle towards Lloyds Road, where a second pursuit began.

After turning into Lloyds Road the Hyundai travelled at high speed and a collision occurred at the intersection of Lloyds Road and Vale Road.

The surviving passenger was interviewed at Bathurst Base Hospital by detectives from Lachlan LAC and he stated he was in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle. He said Spencer Morgan was driving initially and was the person who pulled into the Alfred Street flats and ran from police.

The accused was later interviewed by Lachlan detectives and said he had been at a friend’s house on the day when the now deceased driver and surviving passenger turned up in the Hyundai.

The accused drove to South Bathurst with the two other men in the car. H said he drove off because he panicked.

He said he drove to the flats where his uncle lived and jumped out of the car and ran off. He did not know who got into the driver’s seat once he ran away.

Dennis was jailed for 10 months with a non-parole period of four months.