Matthew Jaymes Hatch pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle

A driver who almost mowed down a group of teenagers after losing control of his vehicle later ran a red light and did a burnout in a busy intersection.

Matthew Jaymes Hatch pleaded guilty to dangerous driving when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

A Maryborough man was busted doing burnouts in the middle of a busy intersection just weeks after he almost mowed down a group of teenagers.

Matthew Jaymes Hatch, 28, pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving an uninsured vehicle, wilfully making unnecessary smoke or noise and entering an intersection with a red traffic light when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard on March 30, 2025, Hatch was driving a white Holden Commodore on Alice St in Maryborough in a manner that caused “undue smoke and noise”.

When the vehicle entered Alice St, Hatch lost control and almost collided with a group of teens before mounting the kerb on the opposite side of the road.

The court heard police had seen footage of the incident, including the vehicle losing traction, causing excessive smoke, as well as Hatch entering the intersection at Alice St in an “uncontrolled state”, travelling towards the teenagers and causing him to swerve away from them onto the wrong side of the road.

Police later attended Hatch’s home in relation to the matter, where he made some admissions in relation to his manner of driving that day, the court was told.

Less than a month later, Hatch was driving a Holden Commodore ute with no registration plates along Odessa St, Granville.

Hatch drove the vehicle through the intersection at Cambridge St on April 26 when he was faced with a red light, but drove through anyway, the court was told.

The court heard Hatch drove the vehicle in a manner which caused the ute’s tyres to lose traction with the road surface, steering the vehicle and causing the rear end to spin out through the centre of the intersection, essentially doing burnouts.

Matthew Jaymes Hatch pleaded guilty to dangerous driving when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

The vehicle came to a rest in the middle of the intersection before Hatch accelerated, causing the rear tyres to spin and lose traction.

As smoke poured out of the rear of the vehicle, Hatch then did another burnout before leaving the intersection, the court heard.

Hatch was later stopped by police in John St on the same day, later reviewing CCTV footage of the incident, the court heard.

When questioned by police about going through the red light and the burnouts, Hatch said it was “a stupid decision”, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Michael Riedel said his client had generally had a good upbringing, but had been diagnosed with autism, ADHD and an intellectual impairment, as well as cystic fibrosis.

Hatch was working building sheds and was receiving a disability support pension.

He had been exposed to “very negative peers”, Mr Riedel said, and he was disappointed in what he had done.

Hatch had realised those peers were not really friends, he said

Magistrate Janelle Boegheim took into account Hatch’s disabilities and the work he was doing.

Hatch was convicted, fined $1500, and disqualified from driving for six months.