Sam Webster pleads guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle at Woombye
A Sunshine Coast intellectual has admitted to causing a collision where he injured his spine and exposed his skull when he tried to create his own lane to overtake another car.
Police & Courts
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A scientific researcher has been gravely injured in a horror Sunshine Coast hinterland crash after he tried to dangerously overtake two vehicles.
Sam Edward Tremayne Webster took months to recover from his injuries in a crash he caused along Nambour Connection Rd at Woombye on May 29, which resulted in his car being flipped onto its roof.
Details of his horror escape from the wreckage were revealed in Maroochydore Magistrates Court last week after he pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Police say emergency services were called to the two car crash about 6.20pm and were told Webster’s vehicle collided with a Mitsubishi which was travelling in the same direction.
Court documents state the motorists were driving along the 80km/h stretch when Webster tried to overtake the two vehicles travelling side-by-side in front of him by passing in-between them.
Police state Webster then tried to overtake the Mitsubishi in a non-existent lane between the vehicle and a concrete barrier when he collided with their car.
The Mitsubishi continued off the road edge and down an embankment where it came to a stop, however Webster’s Ford collided with the concrete barrier.
Court documents state his car bounced off the barrier and flipped onto its roof.
Defence lawyer Jacob Pruden said the researcher came off second best in the crash, injuring his forehead where bone was exposed and required plastic surgery.
He also injured his spine due to it being “crushed downwards”.
Mr Pruden said Webster’s vehicle was written off, and estimated the damage to be about $2000.
The court heard Webster had no criminal history and studied neuroscience with references stating the 43-year-old was “curious, hardworking and passionate”.
Webster’s solicitor said the Nambour man was a respected member of the scientific research community and worked different jobs over the years including as a carer and in data analytics for a sporting company.
Mr Pruden said his client was now working on a patent for a new drug to treat depression.
After hearing defence submissions, magistrate Chris Callaghan had one question.
“You haven’t told me why he was driving like that,” Mr Callaghan asked.
“He’s a smart man he should be able to tell you why.”
After a brief sidebar with his client, Mr Pruden said Webster had no recollection of the circumstances and could not explain what happened.
Mr Pruden however said Webster was remorseful.
Mr Callaghan told the 43-year-old he was “very lucky” he did not injure the other driver and wasn’t more severely injured himself. The magistrate said it was “perplexing” there was no reason offered for the “particularly bad” driving.
“You tried to overtake in a lane that didn’t exist … it’s really poor driving,” he told Webster.
The Nambour man was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for nine months with no conviction recorded.
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