Jon Patrick Tobin in court for driving with a drug in his system
A South Burnett truck driver’s unfortunate choice of a park for his prime mover proved costly after police discovered he had marijuana in his system.
Police & Courts
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A South Burnett truck driver’s choice of a roadside park has proven costly, with the 47-year-old fronting court this week after his rig slid down an embankment and crashed.
Police prosecutor Lisa Manns told Nanango Magistrates Court on Thursday Jon Patrick Tobin had been driving a Western Star prime mover along the D’Aguilar Highway on August 8, 2024 when he became concerned an access door “might be open”.
Sgt Manns said Tobin pulled his rig over on the side of the road near the highway’s intersection with Coxs Lane and put the parking brake on.
As he went to exit the truck “he felt (it) roll over to the left,” Sgt Manns said.
“He was suddenly thrown into the front passenger seat and the truck rolled onto its left side and came to a rest,” she said.
Tobin then discovered long grass beside the stretch “appeared to cover a steeper roadside verge” the truck had ultimately slid down.
Tobin suffered minor injuries in the crash and was taken to Kingaroy Hospital.
A subsequent blood test revealed traces of marijuana in his system, the court was told.
Sgt Manns said the crash itself had simply been “an accident”.
The court heard Tobin had one previous entry on his record for the same offence.
When magistrate Andrew Sinclair observed “I presume you lost your job?” Tobin said “still got it apparently”.
He was unsure if the insurance company was covering the cost of the repairs to the vehicle, though.
“I’d be surprised if they do,” Mr Sinclair said.
He accepted Tobin’s guilty plea to driving with a relevant drug in his saliva, fined him $750 and disqualified from driving for three months.
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Originally published as Jon Patrick Tobin in court for driving with a drug in his system
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