A driver hit 80mph to dodge arrest and was only stopped when police officers skilfully boxed him in.
When they reached Brian Ward, he "appeared unresponsive and was slouched at the wheel," a court heard.
The description came from Sarah Munro, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court, who said that the incident began at 9.15pm on December 10, 2018.
Ward, 34, was driving a car "linked to criminal activity and the defendant was wanted on suspicion of street robberies.
"They tried to stop him but he mounted the kerb and sped off, reaching 80 in a 40mph limit," she said.
As he headed into a 30mph street of houses, the car was going at 75mph.
Miss Munro went on: "Expertly a policeman manages to box the defendant in. The car collides with a police car and there is just short of £1,000 damage."
After finding Ward slouched over the wheel in Loscoe, near Heanor, he was searched and officers found a scalpel. He claimed it was used in his hobby of making matchstick pictures, she said.
An 18-month prison sentence and a three-year driving ban were ordered for Ward of Jacklin Gardens, Rise Park. He admitted dangerous driving and having a weapon in public, the sixth time he has been convicted of that offence.
Judge Steven Coupland said that speed humps failed to slow Ward, who went round blind bends on the wrong side of the road.
"It was a prolonged piece of very bad driving. It could have led to very serious injury or maybe even worse," said the judge.
David Watts, mitigating, said that the father-of-four is currently out of work. He used the scalpel for "craft work and accepted he should not have had it with him.
"He panicked when he saw the police. He accepts it was a bad piece of driving," added Mr Watts.
