Aaron David Marriage in Maroochydore court for causing Bruce Hwy crash

A father and ex-serviceman who was held captive and tortured by the Taliban will likely lose his job after he caused a crash on the Bruce Highway and sped off without stopping.

A dad and ex-navy serviceman held captive by the Taliban will likely lose his job after failing to stop at a Bruce Highway crash he caused.

Aaron David Marriage was fined $1200 in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, May 30, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to dangerous operation and failing to comply with his duties as a driver involved in an incident.

The court heard Marriage served in the navy and also worked as a contractor with the US Department of Defence.

Mr Tobin said Marriage went to Afghanistan and ended up being held captive by the Taliban for four days.

The court heard he was tortured, electrocuted, waterboarded and refused food and water over the four days.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke said Marriage was driving his Nissan at Coochin Creek on the Bruce Highway on August 27, 2021, when he was weaving through traffic, undertaking vehicles and making unsafe lane changes.

Marriage – who lives on the Gold Coast – was tailgating a Holden Barina and then attempted to push between two vehicles in the other lane, causing a collision between his car and the Barina.

The Barina slowed down to 60km/h and pulled over while Marriage accelerated and took off down the highway.

The incident was reported to police by the driver of the Barina and police tried on several occasions to speak to Marriage at his address but were unsuccessful.

Defence solicitor Nic Tobin said his client was trying to overtake cars that were travelling at speeds below the 110km/h limit.

Aaron David Marriage was fined $1200 Maroochydore Magistrates Court after he pleaded guilty to dangerous operation and failing to comply with his duties as a driver involved in an incident.

“It’s the vehicle ahead of my client who was slowing down and speeding up which has caused some frustration for my client who was trying to get around him and that's when he’s made the error of judgment in trying to squeeze between, has run out of room and caused the collision,” Mr Tobin told the court.

“He accepts that he was at fault in relation to that and accepts it is dangerous.”

Mr Tobin said Marriage did pull over at the next exit and watched the cars continue on their way before he took off again.

“He accepts that’s not the earliest opportunity he could’ve pulled over,” he said.

Marriage suffered PTSD and worked as a labourer but Mr Tobin said he would likely lose his employment due to his licence being disqualified.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist fined Marriage a total of $1200 for the two offences and disqualified him from driving for six months.

A conviction was only recorded for the failing to comply charge.