Elwyn Les Smallwood jailed for road rage incident at major Townsville intersection

A former heroin addict used a metal baseball bat to smash another car stopped at a traffic light at a major intersection in a fit of road rage, a court has heard.

Road rage, crime spree blamed on dad’s death.

A FORMER heroin addict used a metal baseball bat to smash another car stopped at a traffic light at a major intersection in a fit of road rage, a court has heard.

Elwyn Les Smallwood pleaded guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court to 20 charges, the most serious being the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and other related offences.

The court heard Smallwood was driving on University Dr on August 25 last year, when another vehicle merged in front of him.

“Whilst I’m told he was able to merge safely, it seems you took exception to how he had done so,” Magistrate Steven Mosch said.

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The court heard Smallwood began beeping his horn, flashing lights at the car in front and then drove up beside it on the busy road that has a speed limit of 80km.

“I’m told you then began swerving right crashing into the side of his vehicle multiple times and making it difficult for this man to maintain control of his vehicle,” Mr Mosch said.

Smallwood continued to follow the victim and attempted to approach his vehicle at a red light at the intersection of Nathan St and Ross River Rd.

At the next red light, he was able to and approached the car with a metal baseball bat.

“You swung this baseball bat at the passenger window multiple times causing it to smash,” Mr Mosch said.

Smallwood also took aim at the back windscreen, the tail-lights and another window before driving away.

Mr Mosch described it as a “protracted act of road rage” that extended over a considerable distance.

Smallwood was also caught driving an unregistered car, while unlicensed, that had number plates from another vehicle.

In an unrelated offence, the court heard Smallwood abused a mother and her 11-year-old boy that made him feel intimidated.

Defence solicitor Andrew Peel said Smallwood has spiralled into drug addiction following the loss of his father to cancer.

He described the death of his father and the drug use as the catalyst to the offending.

“Obviously, the 12 months in custody has allowed him to break that addiction,” Mr Peel said.

Smallwood remains in prison after breaching a four year suspended sentence dating back to 2014.

Mr Mosch noted that he was unable to take into account the time already served, and ordered Smallwood to a head sentence of 18 months suspended for a period of two years.

Convictions were recorded.

He’ll face the District Court for the breach at a later date.

Originally published as Elwyn Les Smallwood jailed for road rage incident at major Townsville intersection