Chace Kevin Fitzpatrick, Jai Darnett involved in violent Palmwoods robbery

It’s been revealed a Sunshine Coast man involved in a frightening mugging that ended in a car driving into a house had previously helped carjack another victim only weeks earlier.

The car after it crashed into a Palmwoods home on August 17, 2023. Picture: Contributed

A Nambour man has admitted to being involved in a menacing carjacking only a month before him and his mate violently robbed a man which ended in a car driving into a house.

Chace Kevin Fitzpatrick spent the better part of almost two years on remand in prison for his roles in two violent muggings at Yandina and Palmwoods two years ago.

Maroochydore District Court heard of his violent crimes on Thursday after the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to armed robbery in company, robbery with violence and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The court heard of the first incident on July 23, 2023 where the victim was seated in his car outside a pharmacy at Yandina when Fitzpatrick and another man approached wearing masks normally adorned during the pandemic.

Judge Gary Long said Fitzpatrick’s accomplice allegedly held a large kitchen knife at the victim's chest and demanded the keys to the car while in the front passenger seat.

Chace Kevin Fitzpatrick. Picture: Instagram

Fitzpatrick was at the driver’s door and demanded he open it for him. The victim got out and dropped his phone in the process which was taken by Fitzpatrick’s mate before the pair drove off.

The stolen car was later found abandoned in a grass clearing near the Maroochy River two days later.

Judge Long said the next robbery came several weeks later on August 14, 2023 with a different accomplice named Jai Darnett.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark described their attack on a 30-year-old pedestrian who was walking along Chevallum Rd at Palmwoods as a random “mugging”, where the pair stopped in their car, “rolled” the victim late at night and drove off with his backpack.

Jai Darnett. Picture: Social media

Mr Stark said prior to this attack, Fitzpatrick called police about 11.50pm and said he was “ready to hurt people for no reason” and “indeed acted on that”.

Police rushed to Palmwoods Train Station however did not reach the 23-year-old in time before the robbery.

Fitzpatrick and Darnett left the victim by the roadside and drove off but their vehicle careened into a nearby home and the two fled, but were apprehended by police.

The court heard the victim needed stitches to his lip and suffered cuts to parts of his body, a black eye and swelling to his face.

The Nambour man was remanded in custody on August 15, 2023 and spent 534 days in jail before his sentence in court on Thursday.

The aftermath of the robbery with violence at Palmwoods. Picture: Contributed

Mr Stark said Fitzpatrick was originally charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle however the prosecution could not definitively establish which of the pair was driving, so it was withdrawn.

Defence barrister Mark Dixon said the Dysart born man fell into the wrong crowd during his teenage years and developed an addiction to amphetamines which intertwined with his offending.

Mr Dixon said since being in jail, Fitzpatrick completed drug counselling and would return to North Queensland to see his family when he was released from custody.

Judge Gary Long jailed the Nambour man for three years, but released him onto parole on Thursday.

Jai Darnett received two years’ jail after pleaded guilty to his part in the robbery but due to other sentences, he can apply for parole on April 21.

Originally published as Chace Kevin Fitzpatrick, Jai Darnett involved in violent Palmwoods robbery