May 10, 2012
A young man who admitted showing off to a mate by doing “doughnuts” at the Stuart River rest area, off the Bunya Highway, was fined $500 in Kingaroy Magistrates’ Court today.
Clinton Travis Ricketts pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other road users.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Nick Nitschke said police responded on April 18 after a complaint from a member of the public who watched a black Commodore enter the rest area and do “three full-circular rotations” before leaving.
The witness managed to record the vehicle’s registration plate and police later located Ricketts who made full admissions.
Ricketts, who was unrepresented in court, told Magistrate B.D. Barrett that he was showing off to a friend who had “egged him on”.
He said it was a “stupid act” and he had not thought through the consequences.
Mr Barrett pointed out that Ricketts was the one in court, and his friend was not.
“You’ve been left carrying the baby,” he said.
Ricketts was warned that he could have lost his licence but he would not because he had no prior history.
