Dangerous and drunk: Logan man Joel Althoff’s wild ride to prison sentence
A Logan man was more than three times over the limit when he swerved in front of police, crashed into a paddock and tried to make a run for it, a court has heard.
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A young Logan man was severely reprimanded at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Tuesday for a drunken, dangerous drive through Chambers Flat in which he crashed a car into a paddock and ran away from police.
Joel Hans Althoff, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance and two counts of obstructing police.
According to a spokesman from Queensland Police Media, Althoff was driving on Chambers Flat Rd at 1.40am when he came to the attention of police.
“ (Althoff) was driving at high speeds, cutting in front of police vehicles and other vehicles,” the spokesman said.
“He swerved on the wrong side of the road multiple times, narrowing avoiding oncoming traffic.”
The court heard several drivers were forced to take fast, evasive action to prevent a head-on collision with Althoff.
“It was a minor miracle no one was killed,” said Magistrate Gary Althoff in his sentencing remarks.
Althoff ultimately crashed through a fence and into a paddock, where he tried to run away from police, according to Police Media.
The court heard Althoff, from Tamborine, had a blood alcohol concentration of .176, more than three and a half times over the legal driving limit, and it was the second time he’d come before the court on a dangerous operation charge.
Magistrate Finger did not mince his words.
“I take a very dim view of people driving the way you did,” he said.
“Your parents are here to watch you get sentenced again and this time, they’re going to hear you’re going to prison because of your stupidity: What will it take for you to get it through your head?
“You need to wake up to yourself, boy, because if you come back to this court (you’ll be) straight on the first bus to Arthur Gorrie (Correctional Centre).”
Althoff was sentenced to two years imprisonment, wholly suspended, and 100 hours of community service to be completed within one year.
He was disqualified from driving for a further 13 months.
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