David Collins in Gladstone court for Col Brown Ave hooning

Chaos erupted at a Gladstone party after a young hoon grabbed a girl by her hair and tried to pull her into his car, before attempting to run other people over in the street, a court heard.

David Andrew Collins, 21, faced Gladstone Magistrates Court for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

A young Gladstone hoon tried to run people over in the street after a girl refused to get in the car with him, a court has heard.

David Andrew Collins, 21, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court on June 12 where he pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and driving without registration plates.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said that about 12.30am on June 11, police were called to Clinton in relation to a street disturbance.

Sgt Hoskins said police were told the driver of a white Triton ute was “attempting to run people over in the street”.

The court heard Collins had left the scene before police arrived but numerous witnesses had taken video footage with their mobile phones of what had happened earlier.

Sgt Hoskins said police spoke to witnesses who told them Collins had attended the street to pick up a female from a party.

“The female person refused to leave the party and didn’t feel comfortable travelling with (Collins),” Sgt Hoskins said.

“A witness saw (Collins) grab the female by the hair and attempt to pull her into the car.”

Sgt Hoskins said a witness then went to the driver’s side of the car and tried to remove the keys to stop Collins from leaving in it.

The court heard Collins was then assaulted by an unknown person before he sped off in an “erratic manner” and did burnouts.

Sgt Hoskins said there were people in the street and Collins drove on the nature strip in Col Brown Ave where he “nearly hit” a person who was standing in his driveway.

“Police viewed the footage taken by a witness holding his mobile phone that sees the car leave Dunstall St, and at the intersection of Col Brown Ave, perform a burnout where the tyres were screeching,” Sgt Hoskins said.

“There was a loss of traction with the road surface, causing the rear of the car to move sideways.

“And several seconds later, the car turns right into Dunstall St at speed, narrowly missing bystanders who were located nearby.”

Sgt Hoskins said a second video showed Collins’ vehicle travelling at speed along Col Brown Ave and a male standing in his driveway take “evasive action to avoid being struck”.

The prosecutor said police conducted patrols of the area but could not find the car, and about an hour later they were called back to where the party was, as Collins had returned.

Police saw Collins’ car had no rear number plate and he was arrested.

The court heard Collins’ traffic history included two prior careless driving offences from 2022 as well as three unlicensed driving offences.

Solicitor Jun Pepito said Collins, a mechanic, was originally from Darwin but living with relatives in Gladstone.

Mr Pepito said when the girl said no to getting in Collins’ vehicle, he should have just left and he would not have ended up in court.

Before handing down penalty, Acting Magistrate Mary Buchanan said what Collins did was “incredibly dangerous.”

Ms Buchanan fined Collins $500, placed him on 15 months’ probation and disqualified him from driving for six months.

No conviction was recorded.