Drink driver speeds along Capricorn Highway

He assaulted his father, then was drink driving and travelling at more than 145km/hr along a Central Queensland highway before a road train driver stepped in to assist.

A 25-year-old man sped away from police while drink driving near Sapphire.

A Central Queensland man struck his father in the face before speeding off while intoxicated, driving at more than 145km/hr to avoid police.

The 25-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Emerald Magistrates Court on July 20 to disobeying the speed limit, driving without a license repeat offender, driving while over the middle alcohol limit but not the high limit and contravening a domestic violence order (aggravated offence).

Police prosecutor Sergeant Paul Cramp said about 11pm on March 13, police were called to attend an address at Sapphire, although no one was home.

They were then called back to the address and were met by a man, the victim, who was struck in the head and later treated for bruising and a laceration on his face.

On arrival, the 25-year-old man was leaving in a vehicle, which police attempted to intercept.

Sergeant Cramp said an officer following the vehicle recorded a speed of at least 145 km/hour, which wasn’t enough to catch the vehicle that turned onto the Capricorn Highway towards Emerald.

A road train driver heard the call from police and assisted in blocking the road to stop the vehicle from passing.

The driver was taken into custody just after midnight and he returned a blood-alcohol content reading of .142 per cent at the Emerald watch house, with further checks revealing he wasn’t the holder of a driver’s license, Sergeant Cramp said.

The court heard the man had previously been charged with drink driving in 2019.

Lawyer Danielle Lynas Torr said her client was unemployed and had a history of mental health and alcohol issues.

At the time of the offence, she said he had been drinking for a considerable amount of time and has since undertaken mental health counselling.

The man was fined a total of $3350 for all offences and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

The convictions were recorded.