Drug-driver teen cops huge fine

A TEENAGER who was under the influence of illicit drugs when he rolled his car on a Harristown street has been handed a hefty fine and licence disqualification.

Police called to a single vehicle roll-over at the corner of Anzac Avenue and South Sts about 3.15am, August 26, had arrived to find an abandoned car rolled onto its roof on the nature strip.

After speaking with a woman who arrived at the scene and who told police she was looking for her partner who had just crashed the car, the officers had gone to a nearby residence and found Seth Michael Collins.

Appearing to be under the influence of something, the teenager admitted to having been the car’s driver.

The 18-year-old told police he had lost control of the car turning into South St, over-corrected and rolled it, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Not knowing what to do, he had left the scene and gone to his home nearby, police prosecutor Catherine Nielsen told the court.

Collins told police he had smoked marijuana earlier that night and had taken an MDMA tablet sometime in the days prior to the crash, Senior Constable Nielsen said.

The self-represented teenager pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of a drug, failing to comply with duties of a driver involved in a crash, driving without due care and attention, not having L-plates attached to the car and driving on a learner’s licence without supervision of a licensed driver beside him.

Asked why he had left the scene of the crash, Collins told Magistrate Graham Lee: “I just wasn’t thinking clearly, Your Honour.”

Noting the teen had no previous convictions, Mr Lee fined Collins $1800 and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for nine months.