Thomas Carlson: Launceston man evades cops at unbelievable speed

It was a “moment of madness” which made a supermarket supervisor put the pedal to the metal in a built-up area, turning a minor traffic offence into a major blunder.

An “anxious” Tasmanian P-plater “panicked” when police began trailing him, accelerating to 124km/h in a 50km/h zone in an attempt to lose them, a court has heard.

Prospect Vale man Thomas Patrick Carlson, 21, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Thursday to charges of evading police and exceeding the speed limit in a built up area.

The offences both occurred just before 4.30pm on January 30 this year.

Tasmania Police were performing mobile speed checks on Peel St West at Summerhill and had just finished up with another vehicle when they witnessed Carlson travelling in the opposite direction.

The performed a U-turn and began tailing Carlson, estimating his speed to be 80km/h as he travelled past Summerdale Primary School.

They followed him over the crest in the road and when they caught sight of his vehicle again, it was a “lot further ahead” and travelling 124km/h in the 50km/h zone, the court heard.

Police observed Carlson “brake heavily” and turn left into Willow Ln, which was busy with pedestrians.

Police, who had maintained their 50km/h speed limit, lost the trail but spent up to an hour taking witness statements.

Subsequent inquiries turned up plates registered to Carlson’s parents, who were both supporting him in court.

Carlson told officers he “saw they (the police vehicle) were following me so I kept going (as he was) scared of the consequences”.

Carlson’s parents’ vehicle was clamped for one month, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Grant Tucker described the offending as a “moment of madness”.

“Carlson was driving home from work (at a local independent supermarket), sees police and panics,” Mr Tucker said.

“There was utterly no reason to panic, there were no drugs or alcohol. He’s got an anxious personality and accepts his speed was unacceptable.

Magistrate Sharon Cure said Carlson’s speed was “hard to believe”.

“It beggars belief he would speed at that level in a built-up zone when there’s no obvious reason,” she said.

However, Ms Cure, citing a character reference, accepted Carlson was a “pleasant young man, reliable, mature”.

“We can all be grateful no one was hurt,” she said.

Carlson was fined $2000, ordered to pay court costs of $71.40 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He also accumulated six demerit points, which Ms Cure said he may “regress” on his P-plates.