Josiah James Slack in court for evading police

A teenager who sped away from police and tried to blame his mate for it has been slapped with a massive fine under new legislation designed to stop police chases from occurring. Read what happened.

A teenager who tried to blame his mate for two offences in which he sped away from police will now have to pay a $14,000 fine and go without a licence for four years.

Josiah James Slack, 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of evading police when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court this week.

The court heard on June 4, 2022, police were called to Kent St in Urangan in relation to an armed person.

Police saw a green Subaru with New South Wales number plates parked opposite the address where they had been called.

Checks revealed the licence plates had expired.

The vehicle then accelerated away “at speed,” the court was told, and police used lights and sirens to try to stop the car.

They followed the vehicle onto Elizabeth St and watched it go through the intersection at Boat Harbour Drive.

The chase lasted for 52 seconds and Slack had multiple opportunities to pull over, the court was told.

But the vehicle was increasing in speed and at one stage drove on the wrong side of the road on Elizabeth St, the court heard.

Police stopped the chase and lost sight of the car.

Then, on June 9, police were carrying out patrols on Elizabeth St and spotted the green Subaru.

They tried to stop the car again, using lights and sirens.

But again Slack accelerated away and skidded onto the wrong side of the road as he turned into Dayman St, Urangan, the court heard.

The vehicle accelerated away and again the police chase was called off.

Slack was served with an offence notice by police at his home the next day.

The following month, he returned the notice, nominating a mate he said had been behind the wheel and completing a statutory declaration saying so.

Police spoke to the mate and he had no knowledge of the offences and denied ever having driven the vehicle.

On July 18, police spoke to Slack again and this time he admitted to being the driver of the car.

Duty lawyer Leon Casey said his client was a young father.

He was currently unemployed but was looking to enrol and complete his schooling after he had to leave school early.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said the offending was really serious, with Slack to be sentenced under legislation brought in to stop police chases from occurring.

That meant tougher penalties for those who evaded police.

Ms McGarvie said there was an “inherent danger” to the community when police tried to intercept people who then fled.

Slack was fined a total of $14,375 and disqualified from driving for two years for each offence.