Daniel Stephen Wright faces court for violently resisting arrest, ramming emergency service vehicles after found unconscious in McDonald’s drive-through

Passed out behind the wheel of a stolen car in a McDonald’s drive-through, a 26-year-old man refused to go quietly after he was found by police before ramming emergency vehicles and being tasered.

A late-night fast food run has ended in a jail sentence for a Cambooya man after he rammed emergency service vehicles while drug-affected after he was found passed out behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle.

Staff of the Wilsonton McDonald’s restaurant called emergency services about 11.30pm on May 23 after they found Daniel Stephen Wright asleep behind the wheel in the drive through lane.

Suspecting he was under the influence of drugs, paramedics called police for assistance.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told that after they arrived, checks on the vehicle revealed it had been stolen, and emergency service vehicles were positioned to contain the 26-year-old with a police vehicle blocking one of the lane and an ambulance at the rear.

Daniel Stephen Wright, 26, was jailed after pleading guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on September 19 to 10 offences including dangerous operation and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Wright became enraged after he was woken by police, and in attempt to avoid arrest police prosecutor Alister Windsor said Wight put the car into gear and drove forward, slamming into the police vehicle before reversing into the ambulance.

Sergeant Windsor said Wright repeatedly attempted to ram his way to freedom, revving the stolen Nissan Qashqai to the maximum and causing significant damage to the two emergency service vehicles before police were forced to take drastic action.

The court was told Wright was tasered and OC spray was used before the driver’s side window was smashed and he was dragged from the vehicle.

A subsequent search uncovered 20mL of the drug GHB, as well as knuckledusters and stolen registration plates.

In total Wright pleaded guilty to 10 offences on Monday, including dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, obstructing police, unlawful possession of suspected stolen property, unlawful possession of a weapon and possessing a dangerous drug.

Daniel Stephen Wright, 26, was jailed after pleading guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on September 19 to 10 offences including dangerous operation and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Wright’s solicitor Brad Skuse told the court before this incident his client had been abiding by the conditions of a parole order that was in place after serving two years of a six year prison sentence imposed by the District Court for a 2020 armed robbery.

The court was told Wright had been working as a concreter, was completing rehabilitation programs as directed by Lives Lived Well and was regularly seeing a counsellor, but an invitation to a party set in motion a relapse which in turn triggered the terrifying turn of events that had landed him in court.

Mr Skuse said Wright attended the party and “participated in illicit substance use” that ultimately saw him get behind the wheel of a stolen car.

Acting magistrate Rowan Silva said it was “difficult to understand” how Wright “reverted fully” back to past behaviour while on parole.

Describing the offence as “very serious conduct”, Mr Silva sentenced Wright to two years jail. With 117 days of pre-sentence custody declared as time served, Wright’s parole eligibility was set at January 19, 2023. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.