Luke Andrew Sorensen in Maroochydore court for assaulting cop, wild driving

A former soldier was high on Xanax when he assaulted a police officer and drove erratically on the highway, causing cars to box him in so he would stop.

A tow truck and other cars had to “box in” a Glenwood former soldier who was driving erratically on the Bruce Highway while high on Xanax, a court has heard.

Luke Andrew Sorensen, 29, was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for 18 months in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 20, 2022.

Police prosecutor David Hoffman said police were called to the Bruce Highway southbound near Sippy Downs on March 31, 2022, with concerns about a Toyota station wagon's driving.

“It had been deviating between lanes, running into and striking the guard rails and was all over the road way,” Senior Constable Hoffman said.

Police found the vehicle that had been “boxed” in and slowly brought to a stop by other motorists, the court heard.

Sorensen was sitting in the driver’s seat, was unsteady on his feet, had bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech.

He was breath tested and returned a negative result but later blood tests revealed he had the controlled medication of Xanax in his system.

Queensland Ambulance Service took Sorensen to Sunshine Coast University Hospital where he pushed past police officers and tried to leave.

Luke Andrew Sorensen was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for 18 months in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 20, 2022.

“He was restrained, moved back into the hospital bed and has further lashed out and grabbed the chest and throat area of a police officer,” he told the court.

The driver admitted to consuming Xanax before driving and stated he was self-medicating as it had not been prescribed to him.

Sorensen was also driving unlicensed.

Duty lawyer Michael Robinson said his client didn’t really remember the incident and was taking his partner to the hospital from Glenwood, near Gympie, where they live.

“They wanted to go to SCUH not Gympie Hospital because of previous negative impressions of Gympie Hospital, that’s why he drove,” Mr Robinson said.

Mr Robinson said Sorensen had PTSD from serving as a defence guard soldier who was tasked with protecting Australian air force facilities.

Sorensen apologised to the officer he assaulted and pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, assaulting a police officer and driving disqualified.

Originally published as Luke Andrew Sorensen in Maroochydore court for assaulting cop, wild driving