Police on Wednesday charged Blayze Pemberton-Burden, 26, after doing doughnuts in his car outside Flinders Street Station and causing a dramatic security scare.
The man, who has no prior convictions, faces five charges, including reckless conduct endangering life.
He represented himself at the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, did not enter a plea and has been denied bail.
He had told police he was inspired by James Gargasoulas after he was arrested at the intersection of Flinders and William streets at 2pm after his car broke down.
READ MORE: Gargasoulas waved cops “out of the way” and they moved, inquest told
Victoria Police Superintendent Dan Trimble said Pemberton-Burden got out of the car and stood on the roof, shouting for police to come and stop him. The accused said that he was aware that copying Gargasoulas’ actions from 2017 would attract attention.
Mr Gargasoulas had mowed down six people and injured 27 others three years ago when he rammed his car into pedestrians along Bourke Street Mall.
The court heard that the accused had undergone a mental assessment at Box Hill and had been released. Court documents state that he was heard saying “Buddhist terrorism” as he was placed in a police car.