Dylan Thurecht: Ipswich hoon sentenced for ‘stupid’ burnout behaviour

“Careless and stupid” burnouts outside an Ipswich shopping centre has landed a young fire service volunteer in court.

A young Ipswich hoon has faced sentence for his “careless” and “stupid” behaviour on the roads which culminated in a traffic crash outside a popular local shopping centre.

Dylan Thurecht, 24, appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Tuesday February 22, facing a single charge of driving without due care and attention.

The Springfield Lakes man – a former call centre operator and a current fire service volunteer – pleaded guilty to the offence.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Nanette Green told the court that police attended a single-vehicle traffic crash at Springfield Central about 4.45pm on October 7 last year.

“Police had a conversation with the driver of the vehicle who told police he’d been involved in a minor traffic crash at the roundabout located near Orion Hotel, Springfield Central near the carpark entrance,” Snr-Constable Green said.

“The driver told police that a white Toyota had done a burnout on the roundabout and he clipped his vehicle.”

A roundabout on Springfield Green Arterial in front of Orion Springfield Central shopping centre. Picture: Peter Cronin

Snr-Constable Green said the driver told police the car then drove into the underground carpark at the shopping centre.

“The driver further told police he chased the vehicle, locating it on Southern Cross Cct where he lost control of his vehicle and rolled onto the footpath,” she said.

Police attended the scene and identified Thurecht as the driver of the white Toyota.

The court heard Thurecht acknowledged his conduct, which included performing a burnout and driving on the wrong side of the road, was “careless and stupid”.

Magistrate Dennis Kinsella said he had taken into consideration Thurecht’s early plea of guilty, his remorse, and his young age.

“The medical research tells us that in respect to young men the frontal lobe of your brain hasn’t fully developed until you hit about 25,” Mr Kinsella said.

“At your age, you suffer from a deficiency, so to speak.

“That’s why young men think of themselves as 10-foot tall and bulletproof and make stupid decisions and, more importantly, die on our roads.”

Mr Kinsella fined Thurecht $650 and did not record a conviction.