Drunk dad’s drive of fear
Court told he aimed at bystanders
A GOLD Coast dad terrified concerned bystanders when he drove at a four people, including a pregnant woman, at a shopping centre carpark and tried to mow them down, a court has heard.
Andrew Ian Lane had spent five hours at a Pimpama pub prior to the frightening 11pm incident on August 14.
Lane, 28, pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday to public nuisance, dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving under the influence and failing to provide a specimen as required.
Witnesses saw the tradie drive a Mazda ute over witch’s hats and into a Hungry Jacks drive thru, rev his engine and yell: “Where’s my beer?”.
They watched as Lane drove over several Pimpama City Shopping Centre car park garden beds before they approached him to offer help.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Daniel McShane
said Lane started yelling and threatening to assault the witnesses “for no apparent reason”.
He said as they walked away Lane intentionally drove at two people, including a pregnant woman.
“They had to take evasion action. Once he missed them, he drove at another two witnesses,” Snr Const. McShane said. “All of them then run to the Coles Express in an attempt to retreat from the vehicle.
“The defendant stopped in the Zarraffas carpark and left the car on and walked towards the service station. He started bashing on the glass doors to get to the witnesses.”
Police arrested Lane outside the service station about 30 minutes later.
The court was told he was slurring his words, smelt of liquor and was unable to stand unassisted. He also refused to give police a breath sample.
His solicitor Jason Jacobson, of Jacobson Mahony Lawyers, said his client was “bitterly disappointed and utterly ashamed” of his behaviour.
Mr Jacobson said Lane was not coping with bad news about his daughter’s health and turned to alcohol.
Lane left home at 6.30pm after telling his partner he was going to the gym but instead went to the pub, he said.
“It was a real wake-up call to the dangers when he read what he’d done. He is a person that comes with deep remorse.”
Magistrate Michelle Dooley told Lane he was under “a great deal of stress”.
“Putting members of the public in potentially an unsafe position, your behaviour was very unsafe.” He got 18 months probation, can’t drive for 12 months and was fined $200 with no conviction.