Iszak Markas Goodyn jailed after ramming police car in Gympie crime spree
Despite his young age, a 21-year-old facing 42 charges already has a five-page criminal history after ramming police and evading capture for months.
At just 21 years old, Gympie court heard a Bundaberg region man had already spent much of his adult life behind bars, with his latest court date coming after he rammed three officers in a cop car 11 times, and went “on the run” for six months.
Iszak Markas Goodwyn, of Elliott Heads, appeared at Gympie Magistrates Court from Capricornia prison on Tuesday to plead guilty to 42 charges racked up over six months from September 2023 to April 2024, spanning the Gympie region and South Burnett.
His conduct had affected “almost all aspects of community life”, the court heard, and included 18 disqualified drives, vehicle thefts, evasions, weapon and ammunition possessions, attempted arson to destroy evidence, and repeated unlawful entries into businesses.
Goodwyn’s crime spree came to an end after “multiple search warrants culminating in (his) arrest” following a Curra property search on April 11, 2024, where he was “found hiding” in the dwelling, police prosecutor Richard Higham said.
That search revealed “stolen vehicles, paraphernalia, firearms, ammunition and stolen property”, Senior Constable Higham said.
Goodwyn’s solicitor Kim Whitfield told the court he “was only out of custody for one month when he was given a turn to prison warrant”.
The warrant was issued after Goodwyn failed to report to community corrections following his August 2023 release from prison.
“He said he went on the run for six months before being caught,” Ms Whitfield said.
“He said he was doing evasions and the other offences, which are now before the court, and he said they kept building up.
“He felt like he was in a place where he was spiralling … he was using drugs to stay awake and he was worried about going back to jail, notwithstanding he knew that was the ultimate place he would end up back in.”
The court also heard during his six months on the run, Goodwyn drove on the wrong side of the road and forced oncoming vehicles to swerve.
“What a mess,” Gympie Magistrate Bevan Hughes said.
Mr Hughes said Goodwyn’s offending had impacted “businesses, people in their homes, road users, police officers and car owners”.
“You seem to have some insight and intelligence, but the things you are doing are not intelligent,” he said.
“(The offending) comes with five pages of criminal history, already, as a 21-year-old man. Five pages.”
Goodwyn’s extensive criminal history was also heard in court, including a district matter where he was sentenced to four years and six months’ jail, and in 2023 to 18 months served cumulatively.
“Cumulative — you never want to hear that word (in court),” Mr Hughes said.
As per Ms Whitfield’s submissions, Mr Hughes said Goodwyn had been “working on” himself while in jail, and had taken steps to address his drug issues.
“You don’t want to be looking over your shoulder (for police) your whole life,” Mr Hughes said.
“It’s no way to live a life.
“You still have a lot to offer … time is on your side, but it is running out.”
Goodwyn was sentenced to 18 months’ jail with two years’ disqualification for his unlicensed driving, 50 days’ jail and 12 months’ disqualification for his evasion, and 12 months’ jail for his two enter premises charges.
He was convicted and not further punished for all remaining offences.
His convictions were recorded, and his parole eligibility date was kept as October 10, 2025.
