Rodney William Kupfer pleads guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle in Noosa court

A Sunshine Coast hinterland business owner will have to pay an employee to drive him around for six months following a high-speed joy ride.

A Valdora business owner will have to employ a staff member to drive him around for six months, after a high-speed Australia Day joy ride led to a court appearance.

Rodney William Kupfer, 56, of Valdora pleaded guilty in the Noosa Magistrates Court on August 9, 2022, to one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle.

The Valdora Earthmoving and Demolition business owner was riding a motorbike with a pillion passenger on Australia Day, 2022, along Eumundi-Noosa Road in Doonan.

Police prosecutor Alison Johnstone said police patrolling on January 26 watched as Kupfer reached speeds of between 120km/h and 140km/h.

Sergeant Johnstone said police watched him cross double lines and overtake four vehicles, then a tow truck and then a final vehicle.

She said police later pulled over Kupfer who at first denied riding in that manner.

“It’s a protracted event with that many vehicles,” Sgt Johnstone said.

She said the defendant had appalling traffic history including 44 speeding tickets.

“It was just dumb luck that no one was injured or hurt as a result of this conduct,” Sgt Johnstone said.

Solicitor Michael Burrows said his client operated a successful business that employed 10 full-time staff that serviced an area north of Gympie to the Gold Coast.

He said the defendant was out for a recreational ride and acknowledged his behaviour on the day was dangerous and a serious lapse in judgment.

“It will cost him significantly over the period of any court-imposed disqualification,” Mr Burrows said.

He said the defendant drove regularly for his work and he would have to pay an employee to drive him to and from work sites, which would add another financial deterrent.

Magistrate Christopher Callaghan said the defendant co-operated with police at the scene on Australia Day but, since then, the defendant had appeared before the court eight times on the matter.

“You don’t get as big a discount as you would have otherwise got had you pleaded guilty on the first or second occasion,” he said.

The magistrate said Kupfer’s riding on the day was appalling.

He fined Kupfer $2000 and disqualified his licence for six months.

The conviction was recorded.