Jack O’Brien in court for dangerous driving, fleeing crash scene on Bruce Highway

A “stupid mistake” saw a 20-year-old Sunshine Coast man cause a highway collision before fleeing the scene with sparks flying from his car.

A 20-year-old roofer has lost his job as a result of a “stupid mistake” where he drove on the wrong side of the highway, crashed into a car and fled the scene.

Jack David O’Brien was given 120 hours of community service to be completed over the next year after pleading guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court to dangerous driving and failing to provide particulars at the scene of a crash.

The court heard O’Brien drove down an exit ramp onto the Bruce Highway near Forest Glen at 12.30am on July 25, driving northbound in the southbound lane into oncoming traffic.

Another driver noticed O’Brien’s headlights coming towards him and tried to pull to the right to avoid O’Brien who was swerving from side to side.

The defendant’s car hit the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle.

Jack O'Brien leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court.

O’Brien’s front tyre was pushed up under the vehicle, but he sped away from the scene with sparks flying.

He continued to drive in the wrong direction and his car touched a truck which he swerved around, before his car broke down on the side of the road.

O’Brien abandoned his car and attended the police station the next day.

“I am very sorry for putting everyone’s families in danger,” he told Magistrate Catherine Benson.

“There are about a dozen ways that I could have done it safer but I chose the worst one possible and for that I have no one else to blame but myself.”

O’Brien will lose his licence for nine months which means he will also lose his job as a roofer.

Magistrate Benson said it was a “stupid mistake” and ordered him to pay $650 in restitution.

No convictions were recorded.