Jordan Marston pleads guilty to dangerous driving at random breath testing site
A Sunshine Coast police officer took evasive action after a man drove his car directly at him to flee a random breath testing site, leaving with a traffic cone wedged under his vehicle.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Nambour man has received more jail time after he tried to flee a static random breath testing site by driving at a police officer.
The acting police sergeant was forced to take evasive action and narrowly avoided injury after Jordan Richard Marston, 25, drove dangerously in Currie St on June 1.
Police prosecutor Shane Raison told the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday the lead-up to the brain fade by Marston after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop and driving unregistered.
Senior Sergeant Raison said the 25-year-old was the final car in three vehicles directed to stop at the static RBT site near the Nambour Police Station about 3pm.
The court heard Marston, in his silver Mazda, made the decision to accelerate away from the queue by driving directly towards the acting sergeant.
Luckily the senior police officer heard the motor and jumped out of the way to avoid being struck. Officers witnessed Marston run over several traffic cones and continued at speed with one cone stuck under his vehicle.
Police took down the licence plate of Marston’s car which revealed his car’s registration expired 29 days prior.
Senior Sergeant Raison said police contacted the owner of the car who said his partner, Marston, was driving the car at the time. A passenger who was in the vehicle at the time also told police the 25-year-old was the driver.
Marston was spoken to by police on June 6 for an unrelated matter and was arrested.
He was bail refused on June 7 and had been on remand since.
Senior Sergeant Raison said it could be said Marston was “almost using the vehicle as a weapon” against the officer.
Defence lawyer Rose Killip said the 25-year-old made honest disclosures to police on why he did the offending, and said it was not his intention to hurt anyone.
Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said Marston was not a “wanted man on the run”.
“The car was unregistered ... it could’ve just been a moment of madness,” Mr McLaughlin said.
The magistrate said it was selfish for Marston to put a police officer’s life in “grave danger” to avoid an alleged drink driving charge.
Marston was sentenced to nine months’ jail, with a parole release date of September 5.
The 57 days he spent in custody was declared as time served. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Convictions weren’t recorded for the offences of failing to stop and driving unregistered.