Victoria Point man Darren Robert Cassells, 52, rams teens twice
A tradie subjected young people to a shocking road rage attack in a display described as “high criminality” by the sentencing magistrate.
A foreman has escaped a suspended jail sentence for a drawn out road rage incident that included twice ramming terrified teens.
Appearing at Cleveland Magistrates Court on Tuesday Darren Robert Cassells, 52, of Victoria Point was told he was lucky not to have killed anyone in his matter of “high criminality”.
He pleaded guilty to charges that included dangerous operation of a vehicle; failing to comply with duties of a driver involved in a crash, driving without a licence while SPER suspended and obstructing police.
The court heard Cassells had come from a few drinks at the Victoria Point Tavern on September 24 last year when a vehicle with three teens driving too slowly sent him into a violent fury.
Starting at Colburn Ave in Victoria Point and ending near the Victoria Point boat ramp, Cassells tail gated the teens while using his high-beams and would eventually twice ram their vehicle.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Duncan Blackburn said the victim vehicle reached speeds up to 100km/h in an attempt to escape and only narrowly missed being rammed a third time by taking evasive action.
A high-priority police response from a triple-0 call would find Cassells’s damaged Kia his Victoria Point property.
His matter was aggravated for occurring while SPER suspended from driving at the time.
The following day he was again intercepted by police, on that occasion once more driving while suspended in a Holden.
It came on the back of a history that included an assault offence in 2014 and drink driving in 2012 and 2013.
Snr Constable Blackburn said the community was absolutely sick of road rage and submitted that Cassells’s “incredibly dangerous behaviour” was in range of a suspended jail sentence.
Defence solicitor Andy Bazzi said his client had not taken his medication for depression on the day and had become enraged when the teens brake-checked him and gave him the middle finger.
The court heard Cassells worked full-time as a foreman in an industrial airconditioning position, had care of multiple children with disabilities and had shown remorse.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta denounced him for his “5.5km brain snap” that progressed from “immature behaviour to high criminality”.
“This is very serious; people could have died,” Ms Vasta said.
Cassells was ordered to complete 70 hours of community service and was disqualified from driving for eight months.
He was further fined $881 with no conviction recorded.
