Motocross racer Jarrod Stephen Koppe used meth to ‘wind down’ after race meets

A well-known Queensland motocross racer has admitted he used meth to “wind down” after races and hid a daily drug habit from family — until an RBT stop caught him with $18,850 in cash.

Jarrod Koppe from QLD - Action from Day 3 of the Tatts Finke 2012 Desert Race

A well-known motocross racer and former dealership manager has admitted in court he hid a daily drug habit from family — until a random breath test stop caught him with $18,850 in cash.

Jarrod Stephen Koppe, 39, was driving a friend’s car when he was intercepted by police for an RBT on Kelso Dr in 2022.

Crown prosecutor Terence McCosker said Koppe had slurred speech and officers noticed a “large clip-seal bag” coming from his backpack.

“His phone was seized and police searched the vehicle,” Mr McCosker said.

“Inside his backpack and in a suitcase police located six tablets of diazepam, one gram of cannabis, $18,850 in cash, 47.8g of substance of which 21.07g was pure methamphetamine.”

Jarrod Stephen Koppe, 39, was caught with meth, cannabis and $18,850 in cash at a RBT stop.

“When questioned (Koppe) denied the bag belonged to him and said the cash was from pokie wins.”

A search of Koppe’s phone revealed he’d recently supplied cocaine on two occasions for $400 and $800.

Koppe pleaded guilty to all charges in the Townsville Supreme Court, which included supplying and possessing a dangerous drug, possessing a thing used in connection with supplying a dangerous drug (the phone), possessing property obtained from supplying (the money), and buying or possessing S4 or S8 medicine.

Stadium Motocross. Lites Class. Jarrod Koppe (Townsville). Picture: Lori Neilsen

The court heard Koppe had no criminal record until 2022, but in two years had managed to attract a four-page criminal record.

Defence barrister Darin Honchin said his client often drank excessively on weekends, started using drugs when he was 27-years-old, took speed to “wind down” after motocross race meets and eventually switched to meth.

“(Motocross) is a dangerous sport and over the years Mr Koppe has had his fair share of incidents,” Mr Honchin said.

“His family is a well-known family who conducted a motorcycle shop in Townsville for many years and he worked at the shop both as a worker and later in management of the store.”

Mr Honchin said a traumatic incident in 2021 where Koppe and another racer collided at the Queensland Race Track and hit a barrier, killing the other rider, caused Koppe a “great deal of trauma”.

Justice Lincoln Crowley accepted seeing another racer die was a traumatic event that caused ongoing mental health issues for Koppe.

Mr Honchin said after the 2021 incident, Koppe became a “drug dependent person”.

In a report submitted to court, Koppe said he started using drugs daily and adopted a heavy habit which led to him being caught roadside.

Koppe said he was dealing to support his “outrageous” drug addiction.

“I had tried my best in hiding my addiction from my partner, and my family, so this was the moment where it all came out,” Koppe said of the RBT arrest.

“My partner was furious...I chose to leave to nowhere to continue my drug use.”

Justice Crowley sentenced Koppe to three years imprisonment.

Taking into account the 249 days in prison Koppe has already served, and bringing forward his parole date to reflect Koppe’s mental health challenges, Justice Crowley ordered Koppe be released on parole that day - Monday, September 9.
The next day, Koppe appeared via videolink from prison in Townsville Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to 19 new charges - all involving crimes committed after the fatefall RBT stop, including several vehicle thiefs.

Magistrate Rhianna Lee said from the outset, sentencing Koppe was “very frustrating” because of the split between the Supreme and Magistrates courts.

“There are a number of aggravating offences before me today that weren’t before Justice Crowley (yesterday),” Ms Lee said.

“You just don’t stop offending.”

The 19 charges began on December 23, 2023, when Koppe was caught drug driving with meth in the car.

Seven days later police caught him drug driving again, and four days after that he was caught still driving - this time sober, but on a suspended licence.

“Some ten or so days later there is the break and enter, on Ingham Rd where a motorbike is taken,” Magistrate Lee said.

“That occured between the 15th and 18th of January (2024) and a month later, another unlawful use of a motor vehicle in relation to a Hyundai Elantra. You just dumped that vehicle and ran across the weir bridge into Douglas, you have absolutely no regard for anyone’s personal property.”

Two week later, Koppe is then involved in the theft of a Toyota Yaris, entering a home causing the occupant to “flee to Kirwan Police Station”, the court heard.

After being caught in possession of more drugs, Koppe is then remanded in custody, where he remained until Justice Crowley and Magistrate Lee dealt with his charges.

Magistrate Lee sentenced Koppe to 18 months imprisonment, and gave him a parole release date of today (September 10) taking into account the time he’s already served

Originally published as Motocross racer Jarrod Stephen Koppe used meth to ‘wind down’ after race meets