Laurian Michael Ristich loses finger after Yeppoon car crash

A driver has given a graphic recollection of a crash in the Rockhampton region which left his Holden upside down and him in hospital.

Laurian Michael Ristich faced Yeppoon Magistrates Court on March 14.

A man who is working on some of the biggest construction projects in Yeppoon has relived the night last month that a horror car rollover cost him a finger.

“Well obviously I stuffed up … I lost my finger in the crash,” Laurian Michael Ristich told Yeppoon Magistrates Court on Thursday.

“Somehow my hand has come out the window and slid down the road, so I had blood going everywhere, so I went straight to Yeppoon Hospital.

“They amputated it (my finger) in Rocky two days later.”

Ristich’s graphic recollection of his crash explained why when police arrived at the scene on Byfield Road, Maryvale, about 8.58pm on February 10, all they saw was his overturned, damaged Holden Crewman and no-one around.

“That’s why I left the scene,” the 43-year-old said.

Laurian Michael Ristich.

The court heard the only charge to come from the crash was unlicensed driving and Ristich pleaded guilty to that offence.

“Checks showed (his) driver’s licence was disqualified on the 14th of October, 2019, for one month – furthermore (he) had failed to attend Queensland Transport and obtain the (new) licence after his disqualification period,” Senior Constable Sarah Rowe told the court.

A self-represented Ristich told Magistrate Grace Kahlert he was juggling living in Western Australia and Queensland where he was currently working on some of the biggest construction projects at Yeppoon.

“I run a (rendering) business,” Ristich said.

“I’ve got about $300,000 worth of work (here) at the moment – I’m doing all the units up on the hill here and the station across from the railway, and I’ve got about 15 houses to do.”

Ristich said driving unlicensed was “a stupid thing to do.”

The court heard he had a “small” traffic history.

Ms Kahlert fined Ristich $200 and no licence disqualification was imposed.

A traffic conviction was recorded.