NAMED: 20+ hoons who caused chaos on southeast Qld roads
They’re fast, their driving is furious, and they’ve been ordered off Queensland roads for their outrageous actions. Read their stories.
Police & Courts
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For hoons, vehicles are not essential tools in modern life for getting to school and work, but rather toys to be pushed to their limits, nevermind the fact more than 154 Queenslanders have lost their lives on our roads in 2021 so far.
In this big list, Quest Community News has taken a look at 21 southeast Queensland hoons, what drove them to put their lives at risk, and how our court system came crashing down on them.
JOEL ALTHOFF
Logan man Joel Hans Althoff, 23, was severely reprimanded at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court for a drunken, dangerous drive through Chambers Flat.
Althoff 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 Queensland Police spokesman, 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 Althoff, from Tamborine, had a blood alcohol concentration of .176 per cent.
Althoff was sentenced to two years imprisonment, wholly suspended, and 100 hours of community service.
He was disqualified from driving for a further 13 months.
JAMES MALONE
Logan mobile mechanic James Frederick Malone, 33, lost his car, his business and his freedom all because of a “never say no” attitude that led him down a dark path of drug use and crime.
Malone pleaded guilty to nine charges at Beenleigh Magistrates Court, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, contravening police direction and driving while under the influence of methamphetamine and GHB.
On October 8 last year, Malone was tracked by Polair as he drove through residential Logan streets at 100km/hr, overtaking cars on double white lines, running through red traffic lights and causing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid a high speed collision.
Police used a tyre deflation device to stop Malone.
Malone was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years.
RYAN CLAYTON-KIDD
Slacks Creek man Ryan Stewart Clayton-Kidd, 28, hunted down his mum’s stolen car, leading to an outrageously dangerous chase on a busy road which ended when the other vehicle lost control and flipped into a power pole.
Clayton-Kidd pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to dangerous operation of a vehicle and, stemming from a separate incident, wilful damage and public nuisance.
The dangerous operation offence, described by police prosecutor Timothy Wise as “vigilante-type justice”, occurred on April 5 last year at Loganlea.
The court heard Clayton-Kidd was cruising around in his own vehicle when he sighted a Toyota RAV4, stolen from his mother the night prior.
He parked behind the car in an attempt to block it in, but the car reversed into his vehicle and took off.
Clayton-Kidd took off in pursuit, leading to a high-speed chase on Loganlea Rd which saw both vehicles travel southbound in the northbound lane.
Mr Wise told the court the chase ended when the pursued vehicle “lost control and rolled into a power pole”.
Clayton-Kidd was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years.
He was also placed on an 18-month probation order and disqualified from driving for six months.
BRODIE CARROLL
Oxley man Brodie Anthony Carroll, 27, was fuelled by methamphetamines when he committed 40 offences in the space of about a year, most of which were driving offences.
Carroll was jailed in Beenleigh Magistrates Court for 16 months after he pleaded guilty to the offences which occurred between July 10, 2019 and August 2, 2020.
Police prosecutor Timothy Wise submitted the most serious offence was a dangerous driving which occurred on a Friday afternoon in “peak traffic” on Beaudesert Rd at Acacia Ridge.
Carroll was on a motorbike travelling about 40km/h over the speed limit, lane swapping and splitting, and forcing other road users to take evasive action, Mr Wise said.
This course of offending only ceased when Carroll “ran out of fuel” and ditched the motorcycle, the court heard.
He was sentenced to 16 months’ jail with parole release after serving five months.
He was also disqualified from driving for more than two years.
JAMIE LEE ROBERTS
27-year-old Logan ice addict, Jamie Lee Roberts was jailed for 49 outrageous offences.
The court heard the offences were committed between October 6, 2019, just five days after she was sentenced to 18 months’ probation for further drug offences, and her arrest in September last year.
The most serious charges, in the opinion of Mr Kilmartin and police prosecutor Zoe Melksham, were being found in possession of 4.1g of ice and, on August 1, leading police on a 25-minute chase at Riverview and elsewhere.
The court heard Roberts was high on ice and amphetamines at the time and travelled at speeds of up to 130km/h in a 60km/h zone.
She smashed through police vehicles when they boxed her in and drove on her rims after a stinger device was deployed successfully.
Mr Kilmartin sentenced her to 18 months’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole.
She was also sentenced to 18 months’ probation and fined $500.
RATAN SANDIP
Indian citizen Ratan Singh Sandip, 26, pleaded guilty to hitting and killing Mount Warren Park mother-of-three Beth Eden with his car on November 27, 2019.
The Beenleigh District Court heard the student killed the grandmother when she was out jogging and training for a marathon.
Mrs Eden, 60, was struck by the car on the Milne St footpath less than 300m from her home.
She died in hospital after suffering catastrophic head injuries.
Sandip told Beenleigh District Court his car left the road but was unable to explain why or how.
In the aftermath of the crash, Mr Sandip said he had not realised he had hit anyone.
Mr Sandip was sentenced to three years prison to be suspended after serving 10 months.
GURPREET SINGH
A 13cabs taxi driver from Brisbane’s southside was jailed for 18 months for committing 30 methamphetamine-fuelled offences, the most serious of which involved attempting to run down a man.
Macgregor resident Gurpreet Singh, 40, faced possible deportation after his sentence in Beenleigh Magistrates Court.
Court documents revealed the offences occurred between April 4 and August 27 last year.
The court was played expletive-ridden footage of Singh’s first instance of dangerous driving, which occurred on May 17 last year at Loganlea Rd, Meadowbrook, about 12.30pm.
Singh was driving in a branded 13cabs taxi when he began weaving in and out of lanes to pass traffic.
Shortly after, as he approached Edenlea Dr, Singh inexplicably drove into the back of a stationary Nissan Micra and “accelerated to push the (victim’s) vehicle forward”.
The victim stepped out of the vehicle with his arms extended, at which point Singh reversed and accelerated again to strike the victim twice.
Singh was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole, having served 141 days of pre-sentence custody.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay some $2400 restitution.
MITCHELL GREGGOR
Crestmead man Mitchell William Greggor, 20, was arrested just before midnight on October 30 last year after leading police on an outrageous chase through the suburbs of Logan and on the Logan Motorway.
Beenleigh Magistrates Court heard Greggor was first detected by police at 10.30pm “speeding and driving in an erratic manner”.
A Polair helicopter began tracking Greggor on the Logan Motorway, at which point he turned off his headlights while travelling in excess of 120 km/h.
About 10.50pm, police vehicles activated their sirens to intercept Greggor, leading him to speed further in an attempt to evade them, which he did by blasting through a red light.
He was only stopped about 11.20pm when police successfully deployed a tyre-deflation device.
Greggor was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with court-ordered parole on June 20 this year.
His licence was also disqualified for at least two years.
JUSTIN SANDSTROM
Tingalpa man Justin Michael Sandstrom, 30, was jailed after he stole a car and crashed at high speed, while “grossly affected” by drugs or alcohol, into a car full of students at the height of afternoon pick-up at a Logan primary school.
The father-of-two pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to nine offences
His dangerous driving occurred on August 13, 2019 just after 3pm when Sandstrom ploughed a stolen sedan into the Harris Fields State School’s ‘kiss ‘n’ ride’ lane.
Parents and children who had spilt out onto busy Smith Rd were sent diving for cover when Sandstrom, “excessively speeding”, drifted across oncoming traffic before veering sharply toward the ‘kiss ‘n’ ride’ lane.
He slammed into a Holden Captiva containing an adult driver and several children, causing it to spin out of control and into another vehicle, which in turn collided with a fourth vehicle.
Magistrate Gary Finger sentenced Sandstrom to 20 months’ jail and ordered him to pay some $780 restitution for the damaged ankle bracelet and a further $35 for the fuel drive-off.
STEPHANIE IRIS BEESLEY
A 24-year-old former hotel worker was sentenced to a lengthy period of imprisonment at the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court after a year-long, meth-fuelled crime spree that included dangerous driving across Brisbane’s north.
Stephanie Iris Beesley appeared red-faced and crying via videolink from Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre to plead guilty to a whopping 64 charges.
The offences predominantly occurred around Bray Park, Kallangur and Morayfield.
Magistrate Trevor Morgan sentenced Beesley to six months’ imprisonment.
For the drug offences and the driving on demerit offences Beesley was fined $2000 and she was disqualified from driving for a total of 39 months or just over three years.
MARTIN PETER CLARKE
Marsden man Martin Peter Clarke, 37, led police on a wild car chase through red lights and into oncoming traffic.
Clarke pleaded guilty to four offences at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court, including stealing, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and obstructing police.
The court heard the dangerous operation occurred at Waterford West and Marsden on October 19 last year.
Clarke almost collided with a police car and narrowly avoided members of the public when he sped through red lights and into oncoming traffic.
Once Clarke’s vehicle was forced to stop he made a run for it, fleeing over nearby fences in an effort to avoid police.
He was sentenced to a total of two years and nine months’ imprisonment with immediate parole release and disqualified from driving for two years.
JAI’AARON MICHAEL ROBSON
22-year-old Brisbane man Jai’Aaron Michael Robson was high on drugs when he rammed a stolen car headfirst into a marked police vehicle during a failed getaway at Eight Mile Plains, Beenleigh Magistrates Court heard.
According to the police prosecutor, Robson was driving a stolen car along Logan Rd just after 10pm on October 4 last year when police attempted to intercept him.
Robson pulled into a nearby service station and was soon blocked in by the police car, which parked directly in front of him.
While the officers were inside their car, Robson made a desperate and deliberate attempt to escape by putting his foot on the accelerator and launching the stolen car headfirst into the police car, causing significant damage to the bonnet.
He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle with immediate eligibility for parole.
Robson was disqualified for more than three years.
BENJAMIN JOHN RALSTON
Logan man Benjamin John Ralston, 19, was in “self-destruct mode” when he rammed headfirst into a police car, causing more than $38,000 of damage and sparking a car chase through Beenleigh.
Ralston pleaded guilty to 27 offences at Beenleigh Magistrates Court including four burglaries, two counts of evasion and two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle.
On November 11 last year Ralston was driving an unregistered and uninsured car with four passengers along Wembley and Browns Plains roads when he sped away from a police car.
He drove with “reckless disregard” for the safety of others, going through a red light, mounting a kerb and driving down the wrong side of the road.
The offending came to a head on March 21 this year when Ralston was cornered by police.
The prosecutor told the court Ralston rammed his ute headfirst into the police vehicle in a desperate attempt to avoid apprehension.
Ralston was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment with immediate parole eligibility.
JAYKE JOHN DEMPSEY-MITCHELL
Logan man Jayke John Dempsey-Mitchell, 19, was so desperate to dodge arrest during a drug run that he came close to crashing his car into a group of children at a bus stop, a court heard.
The teenage father-of-two pleaded guilty to eight charges at Beenleigh Magistrates Court.
According to his lawyer, Dempsey-Mitchell was “going in between places to get drugs” when he drew the attention of police at Shailer Park on December 23 last year, leading to a high-speed chase.
Dempsey-Mitchell drove so erratically he had a number of “near misses”, the most concerning of which involved a group of children waiting at a bus stop.
Dempsey-Mitchell received a head sentence of 16 months’ imprisonment, with a parole eligibility date of November 14.
ZAC WHITE
Self-described hoon Zac White, 19, was disqualified from driving for six years after he led police on a car chase through Logan.
White pleaded guilty to seven charges at Beenleigh Magistrates Court, including evading police, driving without due care or attention, driving while disqualified and possession of dangerous drugs.
The most serious of the offending occurred on October 5 last year, when White was driving to a concert.
The court heard White “panicked” when he saw a police car at 11.20pm because he had MDMA in the car and was driving disqualified.
In a frenzied attempt to avoid arrest, White did a U-turn into oncoming traffic, switched off his headlights and nearly collided with a cyclist.
White was convicted and fined $6672.5 for the evasion offence.
He was fined an additional $3300 for the remaining offences and disqualified from driving for a total of six years.
JESSE JOHN HINES
Former St Joseph’s Nudgee College student Jesse John Hines, 31, was imprisoned after an alcohol-fuelled drive across Brisbane’s north caused several car accidents and came to a crashing halt against a guard rail on the Gateway Motorway.
Hines pleaded guilty in Sandgate Magistrates Court to 10 charges.
The court heard that on July 15 last year Hines took his roommates car for a joy ride.
On Sandgate Rd about 3.15pm, Hines ploughed into the back of white Holden Commodore.
Rather than stop to provide his particulars, Hines simply changed lanes and wove through traffic to get away.
The road rampage continued onto the Gateway Motorway, where Hines accelerated dramatically and lost control of the car, smashing it into a guard rail.
A blood test revealed he had a blood-alcohol content of .210 per cent.
Hines spent six months in custody following his arrest.
He was sentenced to 15 months, imprisonment, ordered to pay $49.90 restitution and made immediately parole eligible.
FLOYD SAMSON HENARE THOMASON
Ten years on the straight and narrow came to a devastating end for Brisbane father Floyd Samson Henare Thomason, 30, when a relapse into drug addiction saw him sentenced to prison at Pine Rivers Magistrates Court.
Thomason pleaded guilty to 17 charges which occurred between October 14, 2019 and September 26 last year.
On June 13 last year, Thomason was driving a truck “erratically” on Mary St in Caboolture when he drew the attention of police.
They tried to pull him over but Thomason sped up “dramatically” in an attempt to evade arrest.
He was later found hiding in a tree.
Magistrate Trevor Morgan sentenced Thomason to four months’ imprisonment.
He was disqualified from driving for two years for each disqualified driving offence, and three months for driving while a repeat offender.
CATHERINE AMANDA JACKA
Grandmother and respected health worker, Catherine Amanda Jacka, 52, was chased by a convoy of police down the M1 before crashing at Brisbane Airport.
Jacka faced Caboolture Magistrates Court for what Magistrate Andrew Hackett described as a “helter skelter” police chase from Moodlu near Caboolture to Brisbane Airport that saw Jacka reach speeds of 141km/h down the Bruce Highway on May 22, 2019.
The court heard a police officer riding a motorbike tried to intercept Jacka at Moodlu but Jacka turned the car around and drove off.
She was later clocked travelling south along the Bruce Highway doing speeds of 125km/h at 7.05pm and 141km/h at 7.20pm.
Jacka pleaded guilty to evading police and dangerous operation of a vehicle relating to the May 22, 2019 police chase.
She was placed on two years’ probation.
DARCY JOHN COUTTS
Redcliffe man Darcy John Coutts, 27, was sentenced to 100 days in prison for leading police on a dangerous, high-speed car chase through five northern Brisbane suburbs.
Coutts pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court to four offences.
The court heard Coutts first came to the attention of police as he was driving his boss’s ute through Lawnton just after midnight on August 7 last year.
What ensued was a lengthy police chase in which Coutts repeatedly tried to evade police as he sped through red lights, down suburban streets and across bridges.
Spikes were deployed at the corner of Lakeside Rd, which successfully punctured all four tyres.
Magistrate Trevor Morgan sentenced Coutts to 50 days’ imprisonment and disqualified him for more than two years.
MICHAEL AARON CONNELLY
Michael Aaron Connelly, 20, was sentenced to prison for leading police on a terrifying high-speed chase on the Logan Mwy before crashing a stolen Porsche.
Connelly was sentenced in Beenleigh Magistrates Court for 10 stealing and traffic offences.
The court heard Connelly entered a premises on April 27 last year and stole jewellery and other items before police began tracking him in the stolen car the next day.
He began swerving across lanes on the motorway and his driving was so dangerous police were forced to pursue him.
At one point Connelly was still driving at high speed on wheel rims after all four tyres were deflated by stingers, police prosecutor Sgt Stephen Cochrane told the court.
He was sentenced to a total of two years and nine months’ jail and disqualified him from driving for a total of two years.
ASH WHITE
19-year-old Moreton Bay region boilermaker Ashleigh James White ran out of chances after a court heard he evaded a police vehicle only 11 days after receiving probation for dangerous driving as part of a series of offences which also included evading police twice more.
White pleaded guilty to four offences.
Most offences occurred on the Pacific Highway at Tanah Merah on October 12 last year.
White’s evasion of police only ended when he crashed his vehicle and he told officers he had “no intention of stopping,” the court heard.
Shockingly, these offences occurred only 11 days after White was granted 12 months’ probation for offences including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
White was required to serve 50 days of a three-month head sentence, before being released on parole.
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