Matthew John Ronnfeldt pleads guilty to driving without due care and attention and drink-driving in Mackay city centre

‘The fact of the matter is … you deliberately drove the way you did’

Matthew John Ronnfeldt pleaded guilty to reckless and drink-driving in the Mackay city centre. Photo: Brett Wortman

A magistrate has berated a young hoon for his “deliberate” reckless and drink-driving in the Mackay CBD saying he could have killed someone.

Matthew John Ronnfeldt’s traffic history was labelled “below par” and included multiple entries for speeding, as well as drink driving and failing to wear a seat belt.

But as he faced Mackay Magistrates Court for driving without due care and attention and low range drink-driving on April 13, he asked for a restricted licence to keep his job.

Prosecutor Sergeant Jay Merchant said police patrolling the city centre spotted a black ute accelerating hard as it fishtailed on Sydney St before performing a 180 degree turn about 12.30am.

At the time Ronnfeldt also had a blood alcohol reading of 0.09 per cent. He pleaded guilty to both charges.

Acting Magistrate Athol Kennedy said Ronnfeldt’s application was not entirely accurate.

“You said in your affidavit, ‘I did not drive to the conditions of the road’,” Mr Kennedy said.

“The fact of the matter is … you deliberately drove the way you did.

“You ignored the conditions all together and chose to accelerate hard down the road swerving your vehicle like you did.

“How silly do you think I am.”

The court heard Ronnfeldt has similar offending on his traffic history.

“Don’t you learn?” Mr Kennedy said.

“Yes, your honour,” Ronnfeldt said.

“I don’t know that you do … speeding, speeding, speeding, drink-driving, speeding, fail to wear a seatbelt … are you sure you learn?”

Ronnfeldt said, “This time your honour … because of my job.”

The court heard he had completed a defensive driving course.

“Your driving is not up to scratch, you now claim that it is … it better be,” Mr Kennedy said, later adding he was not there to take Ronnfeldt’s job away.

“You might think I’m being a bit hard on that … but the fact of the matter is that if someone was there they would have been dead.”

Ronnfeldt was fined $1300 and disqualified from driving for five months, but granted a 24-hour restricted licence on the condition he keep a logbook.