Chaos on Range due to man’s fit
5 hospitalised in trail of destruction
THE man who left a trail of destruction on the Toowoomba Range last month claims he “had a fit” during the incident that sent five people to hospital.
Race Anthony Griffin fronted the city’s Magistrates Court yesterday on a string of charges relating to the multi-vehicle crash on May 13.
Witnesses at the scene initially described his car as driving erratically as it ploughed into the back of one car and side-swiped another.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services officer first on the scene claimed the 28-year-old’s vehicle was also seen driving on the wrong side of the road at times.
Not long after the pile-up, a Queensland Ambulance Services spokesman confirmed three people were treated for serious injuries, with one having to be cut out of a wrecked ute. Speaking to waiting media outside the Toowoomba Courthouse, Griffin said he had re- ached out to those injured in the incident on Facebook and apologised to them.
“I just had a fit,” he said. “That is what happened because I had just left work.
“There’s medical reasons and they are still going through it and they’re sending it through the hospital.”
Griffin told the court his lawyer could not represent him yesterday because he had not turned up.
He has been charged with driving with a relevant drug in his system, driving without a licence as a repeat offender and dangerous operation of a vehicle but has yet to enter a plea.
Magistrate Kay Ryan adjourned the matter to be heard back in the same court on July 24.