Thomas John Hardie Lucas, 33, from Logan Village jailed for dangerous operation

A driver responsible for a terrifying Logan road rage spree where he smashed into a car with a five-year-old child inside and chased pedestrians off a footpath, has seen him face a lengthy stint behind bars.

Thomas John Hardie Lucas, 33, from Logan Village jailed for dangerous operation

A Logan landscaper’s terrifying road rage spree where he smashed into a car with a five-year-old child in the back and chased pedestrians off the footpath, has seen him face a lengthy stint behind bars.

On October 7, 2023 at 11am Thomas John Hardie Lucas was driving on Teviot Rd, North Maclean, heard Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

The 33-year-old Logan Village man was speeding and smashed into the back of a Skoda car, breaking the rear windscreen.

The Skoda was occupied by a husband and wife and their five-year-old child at the time.

Lucas continued driving and began to push the back of the car with his own car, causing it to collide with a light pole on the side of the road.

He then shockingly drove away, leaving the victims at the scene.

The court heard the female victim suffered whiplash and the male driver suffered left scapula pain which required treatment.

Only 19 days later on Ferry Rd, Southport, a fellow motorist noticed Lucas driving erratically and tried to overtake him on the right lane.

Lucas looked at the other car angrily and deliberately turned sharply and smashed into the side of them.

The collision caused the airbags to deploy but Lucas did not stop there.

He then charged at onlooking pedestrians on the footpath, forcing them to jump out of the way into the bushes to avoid being hit.

In a victim impact statement tendered to the court, the female passenger said her two children were in the car only 10 minutes prior to the crash which caused an immense amount of trauma.

She suffered a black eye which got worse over time as well as cuts and lacerations to the face.

The court heard that on November 3, 2023 Lucas’ ex-partner heard burnouts in her street as she had the bonnet up, doing repairs on her car.

Lucas deliberately rammed into the back of her car which caused the bonnet to smash her head.

He then stared her down and drove away.

The victim suffered pain and swelling, lacerations to her neck, soreness in her hand, a concussion and general head pain.

In a victim impact statement provided to the court she spoke of the damage this domestically violent behaviour had on her life.

“I had to move far away after living here for 20 years and just as my kids were finishing high school,” she said in the statement.

“I live in fear and am scared for my family's lives.”

Lucas finished his terrifying, six-week rampage by smashing into his ex-partner’s garage door with his car on November 23.

Lucas pleaded guilty on April 30 to two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and one count of failing to remain at the scene.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle (domestic violence offence) and wilful damage (domestic violence offence).

The court heard Lucas worked as a landscaper and his offending began after a relationship breakdown.

Magistrate Shane Elliott said Lucas showed a lack of insight and made excuses for his offending.

He was sentenced to two and a half years prison, to serve a third in actual custody.

Lucas had already served 156 days of pre-sentence custody and therefore his parole release date will land on September 29, 2024.

He was also disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for three years.

Originally published as Thomas John Hardie Lucas, 33, from Logan Village jailed for dangerous operation