Toowoomba man fell asleep while waiting to fill his car

A Toowoomba man is down $950 after he fell asleep while waiting to fill up at the Harristown 7 Eleven.

The Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard yesterday that employees phoned police after they saw Clifford James Schonrock slumped over his steering wheel.

Prosecutor Julia Wheaton said police attended, along with Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics, and observed Schonrock “under the influence of a substance.”

“He was woken but when police went to detain him, he grabbed a baton and extended it,” she said.

Police attempted to wrestle Schonrock from the car, but he held tight to the steering wheel.

“Eventually his fingers were pried off the wheel,” Ms Wheaton said.

The officers arrested Schonrock and transported him to the Toowoomba Hospital for an emergency examination.

Acting for his defence, solicitor Joe McConnell said his client had a long history of heroin and meth use but had stayed clean after being released from jail in 2018.

“He said he was under the influence of Xanex,” Mr McConnell said.

He added that Schonrock has been gainfully employed until 2016 when fell from a truck and fractured his spine.

“He is on a disability pension and lives with his mother,” Mr McConnell said.

Schonrock pleaded guilty to obstructing police, failing to dispose of a syringe and trespass.

Magistrate Howard Osborne fined him a total of $950 and recorded the three convictions.