Plumber jailed for drug offences, road rage after smashing 4WD into ex-partner’s car in Adelaide northern suburbs

An Adelaide father and plumber in the grips of meth addiction reversed his 4WD into his ex’s car in traffic in a rage, then attacked it with a crowbar.

A successful Adelaide plumber whose life turned to “chaos” as he spiralled into drugs ended up reversing his 4WD into his ex-partner’s car in front of shocked witnesses, then attacked it with a crowbar and fled the scene.

Lucas Robert Watson, 43, of Northfield was jailed in the District Court earlier this month over the “outrageous” road rage crash last April after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing injury and other traffic offences and cultivating and trafficking cannabis.

Judge Paul Muscat said the married father of three spiralled into addiction after an affair with a woman who introduced him to meth in 2021 and the two moved in together.

In March 2024, the woman left their home after an argument and was walking along Briens Rd at Northfield, when Watson drove his Toyota Prado across the road and on to the footpath, “cutting in front of her”.

She called the police, and a search of his home turned up 12 cannabis plants in a secret room, some 1m high, cultivating equipment, a vacuum sealer and bags and 1.7kg of cannabis buds in the office.

The woman ended the relationship but in April Watson asked her to collect her belongings.

As she left, he grew angry and threw his phone at her, which hit her left hip, and “chastised her” before she left.

“You were not going to let it go at that. You got into your Toyota Prado and pursued her through traffic,” Judge Muscat said.

Watson pulled his Prado in front of her car in Enfield and “repeatedly slammed on the brakes”, sideswiped her, then again braked hard in front of her.

“You then reversed at speed, crashing into the front of her car and causing the airbag in the car to deploy,” Judge Muscat said.

The inflating airbag caused a 15cm laceration to her left forearm.

“After reversing into her car, you got out of your Prado and … attempted to smash her driver’s side window with a small crowbar. Clearly you were in a rage.

“Your drug use escalated to the point where it was having a detrimental effect on all aspects of your life, but particularly your character. You were living a life of chaos.”

Witnesses stopped to help the woman out of the car, and Watson left the scene of the crash, missing a resident who tried to block his car in. He was arrested nearly two weeks later after “lying low” and placed into custody.

“This would have been a tremendous shock not only to yourself, but also for your family,” Judge Muscat said.

The court heard Watson had a strong work ethic, was committed to his family, and the third-generation plumber had built up his own business that sponsored local clubs.

It heard he was community minded and lent his skills to family and friends renovations.

He had the support of his family and wife, who believed he was remorseful, and had got clean in prison.

Judge Muscat sentenced him to three years and 10 months in jail, with a “merciful” non-parole period of one year and six months. His licence was suspended for four years.