Repeat drug driver Dylan Michael Fischer’s horror Gold Coast crash
“Hard to imagine a much worse scenario”: The actions of a repeat drug driver who had never held a licence ultimately claimed the life of his passenger, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An apprentice chef was in tears in court today as he faced sentence for a horror crash that killed one of his passengers and seriously injured another.
Dylan Michael Fischer, 26, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on February 28, 2023, to a swath of charges including driving without due care and attention causing death while unlicensed, and driving with a relevant drug in his system.
His other charges consisted of a number of low-level property and drug offences including three counts of receiving tainted property and five counts of possessing dangerous drugs, along with breaching bail, obstructing police, and failing to appear in accordance with an undertaking.
The court heard Fischer had been driving on February 14, 2021, at Pacific Pines on Pitcairn Way when the car crossed onto the right-hand lane and mounted the centre median curbing.
Magistrate Jason Schubert said Fischer’s tyres were “screeching” as he swerved sideways and collided with a large tree.
The court heard one of his passengers Jamie John Field, 33, died as a result of the collision.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Bernard Elmore said another passenger suffered serious injuries including a fractured pelvis and fractured ribs.
The court heard Fischer suffered some injuries of his own, and that he had methamphetamine and THC in his blood at the time.
“The defendant to start with should not have been driving at all,” Sgt Elmore said.
“Not only was he disqualified at the time, but he in fact never held a licence at all.”
Police found the rear right tyre of the car lacked sufficient tread and also found a number of stolen items in the car, including laptops, headphones, debit and Medicare cards, designer sunglasses, and a wallet.
Mr Schubert said Fischer’s traffic history included previous drug driving and disqualified driving offences in 2019 and 2020.
He noted Fischer had also been on probation at the time of the crash for breaching a probation order, and had moved to Ipswich during the time of the order.
Mr Schubert said the maximum penalty for the drive without due care causing death offence was two years imprisonment, but that that should only be imposed in “the most serious examples imaginable”.
“I don’t think we are very far away when I consider the outcome … It’s hard to imagine a much worse scenario.”
Fischer, who appeared over video link from Arthur Gorrie Correctional Facility, was visibly upset at this stage in the proceedings and started crying.
Sgt Elmore said Fischer could “consider himself quite lucky” that he was facing the drive without due care offence, and not a more serious one.
Defence lawyer Geoffrey Seaholme said his client was an apprentice chef with two young children.
He said Fischer often resorted to drugs in hard times, and suffered from anxiety and depression.
Fischer received a head sentence of 20 months imprisonment for his current offending, along with a cumulative three months imprisonment for the previous breach of probation order.
His 201 days in pre-sentence custody were declared time-served, and his parole date was set for March 31 2023 – after he has served one third of his sentence.
“I have no appetite to give you parole any earlier given the seriousness of the charges,” Mr Schubert said.
Convictions were recorded.
Horror as 12yo girl’s ride harness releases mid-air
The operator of a “mega drop” ride a 12-year-old girl fell from when her harness released mid-ride at the Kilcoy Show has been fined $50000.
Your ultimate guide to every gun club in Queensland
A new public shooting gallery catering to unlicensed shooters as young as 11 has opened as firearm sports experience a surge in popularity. See our exclusive list of all gun clubs in Queensland.