‘Blind good luck’ no one was killed
A FATHER’S chase of a stolen car was “dangerous in the extreme” as he smashed into it on a busy Townsville road, sending both vehicles careering off and narrowly missing other motorists.
In a moment of rage, Kyal Stuart Frunks, 31, pursued and smashed into a stolen blue sedan driven by juveniles on Shaw Rd last year on December 10.
The court heard the juveniles first hit Frunks’ white ute in the early morning as he was pulling into a business and then drove off.
He drove after the juveniles and followed them into the Bohle Barn carpark, but when that failed to stop them, the chase continued on to Shaw Rd.
CCTV vision from a truck’s dashcam, played in court, showed the final moments of the high-speed pursuit, when both cars crossed double white lines to overtake a truck.
Then the final impact, which sent the juveniles spinning off into the gutter, and Frunks’ car crossing two lanes of traffic on the opposite side, just missing other motorists.
Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant Tim Madsen told the court the road was “busy” with a “consistent flow of traffic in both directions” at the time.
“Certainly the outcome is good fortune rather than that of good management,” he said.
Defence lawyer Richard Scholl said his client, a working father with experience as a truck driver who supported his young family, was “extremely remorseful” for his “reckless conduct” and had undertaken rehabilitation by going to a psychologist.
Frunks pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous operation of a vehicle when he faced the Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday.
Magistrate Ross Mack described the driving as “dangerous in the extreme” and said the community needed to be deterred.
“It’s not acceptable for members of the public to take the law into their own hands,” Mr Mack said.
“The consequence of this driving could have been tragic any number of times and it’s sheer blind good luck you’re facing the magistrates court and not the District Court on far more serious charges.
“You might count yourself very fortunate indeed you are not confronted with the situation where multiple deaths have occurred as a consequence of what you did.”
Frunks was sentenced to 18 months’ jail, suspended for two years, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.