Colby Sutton fined $19k in Yeppoon court after evading police twice

A foolish teen who evaded police while speeding on more than one occasion has copped a massive collection of fines totalling more than $19K. SEE THE FINE BREAKDOWN

Colby Hyatt Sutton faced Yeppoon Magistrates Court on December 7.

A Central Queensland teenager has been hit with a monster sum of fines after he made “foolish” decisions to speed away from police cars on two separate occasions.

Colby Hyatt Sutton, 19, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on December 7 to numerous traffic offences, the most serious being two counts of evading police.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Darrell Dalton said about 12.40pm on October 5, police were patrolling Emu Park Rd when they clocked Sutton driving an unregistered vehicle at 141kmh in a 100kmh zone.

Sgt Dalton said police activated lights and sirens but Sutton did not stop, instead rapidly accelerating to overtake another vehicle to evade police.

Police terminated their attempt to intercept Sutton.

Colby Hyatt Sutton.

Then two days later, at 3.36pm, police were on Keppel Sands Road when they clocked Sutton driving the same unregistered vehicle at 137kmh in a 100kmh zone.

Again police tried to intercept him but he again evaded them.

The court heard that Sutton’s traffic history was “limited” and that he had no criminal history.

Solicitor Grant Cagney said Sutton, whose parents were in court to support him, grew up in Moura and left school after finishing Year 9.

Mr Cagney said Sutton was employed full-time as a tyre fitter at a local Bridgestone store.

“Rather foolishly, Mr Sutton elected to fail to stop for a police car to avoid what was effectively a fine only offence,” Mr Cagney said.

“That shows the maturity of Mr Sutton - ignorance is no excuse, but he had simply no understanding what he was doing could have the ramifications that it can have today (in court).

“And I can say, in conference with Mr Sutton, he was very surprised to hear that these charges can (lead to) people spending at least 50 days wholly served in a correctional facility.”

Mr Cagney said in Sutton’s favour, he had voluntarily attended the police station and made full admissions to the offending.

Before handing down penalty, Acting Magistrate Michael Bice told Sutton that evading police offending was become more prevalent “especially with young drivers avoiding police.”

“And can often end up in accidents and other people getting injured,” Mr Bice said.

“Evade is a very serious offence... there can be some horrific consequences - especially people dying on roads because of that.

“And we’ve had chases with police that have ended up that way, and that’s why the law’s so tough.”

Mr Bice fined Sutton a total of $19,366 and disqualified him from driving for five years.

Colby Sutton’s fines:

- $7740 (evade police)

- $7740 (evade police)

- $1780 (speeding 40kmh over the speed limit)

- $1161 (speeding)

- $450 (driving unregistered vehicle)

- $495 (driving unregistered vehicle)