David Lee O’Keeffe in Maroochydore court for road rage, wilful damage

The owner of a car transporting business had recently been diagnosed with leukaemia when he was in a “frightening” road rage incident. Read about his moment of madness.

The owner of a car transporting business landed in court after he “spat the dummy” while driving on the Sunshine Coast and rammed his truck into a Suzuki swift.

The court heard M and N Car Carriers owner David Lee O’Keeffe was transporting vehicles at the time of the road rage incident.

O’Keeffe was ordered to pay $3458.75 compensation to the victim and fined a further $1000 in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on June 21, 2022.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke told the court O’Keeffe and the victim were both driving along Mooloolaba Rd at 1.45pm on September 7, 2021, with the intention of entering the Sunshine Mwy and heading south.

The pair were involved in a road rage incident where O’Keeffe believed he had right of way.

“Words and gestures were exchanged, with (O’Keeffe) exiting the vehicle and approaching the victim,” Sergeant Nitschke said.

“Fearing assault, the victim has driven off and travelled down the motorway.”

After driving away, the victim came to a stop in the left hand lane and O’Keeffe pulled up next to him in the right hand lane.

Sergeant Nitschke said further words were exchanged before O'Keeffe turned his two front wheels to the left and deliberately drove into the side of the victim’s vehicle.

As he drove off, O’Keeffe’s truck and trailer scraped down the side of the victim’s vehicle causing significant damage.

The victim reported the incident to police and suffered a minor injury that was treated by a physiotherapist.

When officers spoke to O’Keeffe on November 21, 2021, he said the victim had braked in front of him and was “acting like an idiot”, but admitted he “spat the dummy”.

Solicitor Matthew Cooper said his client was diagnosed with leukaemia in late 2021.

“That’s relevant in my submission to what appears to be behaviour that is out of character for my client,” Mr Cooper said.

“He tells me around that time he was struggling with accepting his illness … he hated the world for a period of time.”

Mr Cooper said the victim somewhat provoked O’Keeffe by not letting him merge.

The court heard O’Keeffe was a father-of-two and had owned the car carrying company with his wife for about 18 years, employing six people.

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said it was disappointing to see a man of O’Keefe’s age involved in a “moment of madness” on the road.

“I acknowledge that you had been diagnosed with a very serious illness at the time of this and I accept that may well have played on your mind,” Mr McLaughlin said.

“I accept the other driver was not behaving well but neither were they behaving violently … I heard they were giving you the finger and blowing kisses.

“When people give you the finger and blow kisses at you don’t use your truck to ram their vehicle and then tell the police that if you got out of the car even worse things would’ve happened, how childish.”

Mr McLaughlin acknowledged the complainant had originally inflated the compensation request to $7000 before it was reduced.

O’Keeffe pleaded guilty to wilful damage and failing to comply with the duties of a driver involved in a crash.

No conviction was recorded due to O’Keeffe’s lack of criminal history.