Gold Coast drivers risking life and limb behind the wheel
Driving is the most dangerous thing many Gold Coast residents will ever do – and some motorist’s actions only added to that danger. READ WHAT WENT WRONG
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DRIVING is the most dangerous thing many Gold Coast residents will ever do – and some motorist’s actions only added to that danger.
Whether leading police on manic high-speed pursuits, driving so drunk they can barely stand or seemingly flouting every road rule in the book, these are some of the wildest and most unusual dangerous driving or drink driving cases heard in Gold Coast courts in recent times.
TACKLING CRIME
Gold Coast man Akin Sen was coat hanger tackled by a good Samaritan when he tried to evade arrest after ramming a cop car during a “very serious crime wave” which left “nobody safe”.
A POLAIR helicopter captured footage of the member of the public taking Sen down on March 5 last year and the video quickly gathered momentum on social media.
Sen, then 41, rammed a cop car, cut across a paddock to emerge on the wrong side of a busy road and fled on foot with police hot on his tail, Southport Magistrates Court was told.
He was then wrested to the pavement at Mermaid Waters by a man in thongs who was walking his dog.
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Sen pleaded guilty in the court to 81 charges in May last year.
“(The dangerous driving) was an incredibly dangerous exercise that you were undertaking … that driving is very dangerous and a lot of people could have been hurt, which fortunately they weren’t,” Magistrate Pamela Dowse said.
Schoolchildren were using pedestrian crossings in the area at the time of Sen’s frenzied driving.
He was sentenced to 18 months prison with immediate parole eligibility.
Sen was still serving an unrelated sentence, due to conclude in December last year.
MUSTANG MADNESS
Thomas Grundy had his licence disqualified before he led police on a manic car chase through Broadbeach in a Ford Mustang.
Grundy, 18, crashed into a power pole and cut electricity to dozens of homes.
He drove the stolen car on steel rims at more than 100kmh into oncoming traffic, swerving from side to side, on December 4, 2020, Southport Magistrates Court was told.
Grundy pleaded guilty in the court in February this year to 10 charges, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He was sentenced to 15 months prison with immediate release on parole, and was also fined $200 and disqualified from driving for two more years.
“You need to understand that you already have two convictions of disqualified driving … you really don’t want a third because the courts will have to consider what they are going to do and it may well be a prison term,” Magistrate Kerry Magee said.
Defence lawyer Rachel Barnes said Grundy had been kicked out of home at 14 and spent most of his teenage life on the streets or crashing on couches.
POLE POSITION
Jade Thomas Clausen, 43, was performing doughnuts in a Gold Coast street before he crashed into a traffic light pole at more than four times the legal alcohol limit.
The Ford Falcon ute struck the pole on Beaudesert-Nerang Road, Nerang, about 7.30pm on September 26 last year, closing the road for three hours while repairs were made.
Clausen had a blood alcohol reading of 0.22 per cent – eclipsing the legal limit of 0.05.
He pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court in January this year to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and driving under the influence of liquor.
“If I had killed or hurt someone that night, I could not live with myself,” he said.
“I apologise, I do take my licence seriously.
“I’m really ashamed of myself — I wasn’t thinking clearly that night.”
Magistrate Michelle Dooley sentenced Clausen to 12 months’ jail, which was wholly suspended, and disqualified him from driving for 2½ years.
Ms Dooley also ordered Clausen to pay more than $11,000 restitution for repairs to fix the pole – but he avoided any actual time behind bars.
The ute did several “large doughnuts”, skidded sideways, did another doughnut and came to a stop on the other side of the road facing traffic, police prosecutor Senior Constable Lewis Butterfield said.
Clausen sped away and collided with a nearby traffic light.
Defence solicitor Mark Donnelly, of Donnelly Law Group, said Clausen had an argument after drinking while visiting his son.
“He chose to drive, which is a decision which was foolish and dangerous.”
WRONG WAY, GO BACK
Currumbin Waters man Dale Collett tried – and failed – to outrun Tweed police by driving on the wrong side of the M1.
To make matters worse, Collett, 26 was driving disqualified during the overnight chase on August 18-19, 2020, Tweed Heads Local Court was told in December last year.
Collett was hit with six charges after he drove 70kmh over the speed limit, including driving dangerously in a police pursuit, disqualified driving and possessing a prohibited drug.
His car had two deflated tyres and he was busted with methylamphetamine (ice), a folding knife and another person’s ID when police nabbed him.
Defence solicitor Geoff Gallagher told the court Collett drove against traffic by accident because he was unfamiliar with the area and panicked when he spotted police.
He said Collett U-turned as soon as he realised and halted his vehicle after a short time.
Mr Gallagher said his client’s criminal record started after he had been impacted by the death of family members and he resorted to drugs while grief-stricken.
Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy slammed Collett’s dangerous driving and sentenced him to an aggregate prison term of nine months, with parole eligibility on December 17.
It was not Collett’s first rodeo – he was sentenced to prison time for similar offending in Victoria in 2019.
TOSTEE TROUBLE
Gold Coast’s Gable Tostee – or Eric Thomas – faced Southport Magistrates Court in January, 2016, pleading guilty to drink-driving and breaching bail.
The court was told Tostee, then 28, had been involved in a high-speed police pursuit following the Splendour in the Grass festival in July, 2014.
Tostee, who was later acquitted of murdering his Tinder date Warriena Wright, drove from Byron Bay to the Gold Coast to party before lockout was enforced.
The court was told police spotted Tostee’s vehicle about 2.20am speeding at 150kmh and the vehicle reached 200kmh before road spikes were deployed near the Queensland-New South Wales border.
Still, Tostee managed to keep the car moving another kilometre into Queensland.
Tostee then spent six months lingering in a NSW prison on remand.
In court, Tostee’s solicitor Nick Dore noted the time already served in relation to the police pursuit.
Mr Dore accepted his client had a “very high reading” and said the case had been delayed as Tostee was in custody facing a “much more serious offence”.
Magistrate Joan White found Tostee had already been punished and did not penalise him further.
Tostee was disqualified from driving for 15 months and convictions were recorded.
OFFICERS INJURED
Two officers were left with minor injuries and three cop cars were damaged in the wake of the chase on June 29 in Mudgeeraba, Southport Magistrates Court was told in October, 2019.
Christensen, then 25, pleaded guilty to seven charges including dangerous driving, evading police and failing to provide a breath specimen.
Police tried to stop Christensen in his four-wheel drive, but he kept driving with police on his tail.
Christensen then stopped suddenly, reversed into a police car and drove off into bushland off Old Coach Rd, the court was told.
His car was then sighted driving into a service station and Christensen fled without paying.
Police followed the 4WD onto Gemvale Dr, through Summerset Dr and onto Bonogin Rd – but faced a roadblock.
That proved no deterrent – Chirstensen drove head on into a marked police vehicle, turned down Old Coach Rd, crossed paths with a third police car and forced the driver to take evasive action.
The police car hit a mound of dirt, rolled and the pursuit was ultimately called off, the court was told.
Nevertheless, Christensen was later nabbed strolling along the M1, breath tested and recorded a reading of 0.162 per cent.
Magistrate Jane Bentley said: “This is one of the worst dangerous driving cases which has come before me.”
“It’s not only fortunate, it’s actually surprising no one was (badly) injured,” she said.
Magistrate Bentley sentenced Christensen to 18 months prison with parole the following April. He was also suspended him from holding a licence for two years.
Defence lawyer said Christensen – who was impacted by the death of a family member – had been drinking with friends, but became frustrated after an argument and left, forgoing his designated driver, the court was told.
CIGARETTE RUN
Anne-Maree Pitcorn, then 40, fronted Southport Magistrates Court pleading guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle and drink driving after crashing her car at Reedy Creek while travelling almost twice the speed limit and four times over the blood alcohol limit.
Pitcorn, known for her community work, faced the court in December, 2018 after the incident on October 5 that year.
She sped along suburban Barden Ridge Rd at 97kmh, lost control of her Mazda 5 and smashed into a tree, a pole and a parked car, the court was told.
Pitcorn later recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.189.
On the night of the crash, Pitcorn drank a bottle of red wine and asked her partner to get her some cigarettes.
He refused and she hopped behind the wheel, according to defence lawyer Joshua Boorman, who described the offending as extremely out of character.
Boorman also told the court his client, a mum-of-five, had been in an abusive relationship for years.
Magistrate Mark Howden accepted Pitcorn’s good character prior to the incident, but said the courts needed to denounce drink driving.
“You’re probably very lucky that you didn’t cause further damage, or more damage, to yourself or other people,” Mr Howden said.
“Clearly you have made a significant contribution to your community and the children you look after but you have done a very dangerous thing on this occasion.
“The court needs to send a strong message to people that they just simply cannot drive when they’re intoxicated.”
Pitcorn was ordered to serve 12 months probation and had her driver’s licence suspended for 10 months.
M1 CHAOS
Gold Coast nightclub manager Skye Melissa Fuller was busted speeding at 150kmh down the M1 in a Holden Captiva, bumping into guardrails and swerving erratically across lanes of traffic while affected by the drug GHB, Southport Magistrates Court was told.
Fuller, then 26, faced the court in September last year and pleaded guilty to six offences over the offending on May 8, including dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected and excessively speeding and three counts of unlawful possession of a dangerous drug.
She admitted to police she had consumed GHB (fantasy) and officers discovered the drug and two illegal steroid-related drugs in her handbag, accompanied by a syringe, the court was told.
Fuller appeared confused when she was pulled over and was described as “nervous and trembling and her pupils appeared to be small and pin point in size”.
She was apologetic and seemed distressed by her own actions, the court was told.
Defence lawyer Nicholas Crawford said Fuller had a good work history, had trained in hairdressing and carpentry and was managing a Surfers Paradise nightclub.
Mr Crawford said Fuller had a rough medical history after being diagnosed with a serious illness, leading her to abuse illicit substances when she believed the illness had resurfaced.
Chief Magistrate Terry Gardiner disqualified Fuller from driving for nine months and sentenced her to 15 months’ probation.
“I’m hoping that you can engage with probation and move away from the drug culture and get on with your life so you’re not back here again,” he said.
“If you leave here thinking it’s a bit of a joke I can assure you a very serious view will be taken if you come back to court.”
BOOZY BACKGROUND
Gold Coast plasterer Lance Christian Larsen was caught drink driving for an eleventh time and barred from holding a license until 2023.
Larsen was caught by police with a blood alcohol reading of 0.104 on Cotlew St at Ashmore on the morning of December 20, 2018, Southport Magistrates Court was told in March, 2019.
Larsen – who had been busted drink driving five times in Western Australia, four times in Queensland and once in the Northern Territory – was travelling to work at the time.
He pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and another drink driving charge.
Magistrate Kay Philipson warned Larsen, then 48, he needed to “wake up to himself” and described his “very long history of drink driving” as “extremely concerning”.
As well as an extended license disqualification, Larsen was sentenced to three months prison suspended for nine months and placed on probation for a year.
Ms Philipson urged Larsen to seek help for alcoholism and said she would “hate to think what your liver looks like”.
Defence lawyer Michael McMillan said Larsen would benefit from supervision in the community to help with his alcohol problem.
Originally published as Gold Coast drivers risking life and limb behind the wheel
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