Maccas muncher almost hit cops

AN IPSWICH driver was so consumed with his takeaway fast food that he failed to see police standing on the road and officers were forced to leap to safety into a garden bed.

Ipswich Magistrates Court heard police stood on Redbank Plains Road in Goodna on February 12 and tried to wave down Graham John Steele for a random breath test at 8.35pm.

But the 50-year-old continued to drive straight at the officer at the 60kmh speed limit, despite the man waving a torch, motioning for him to pull over.

Prosecutor Sergeant John Nelson said a second officer began waving a torch and shouting – and even threw the torch at Steele’s ute, hitting the driver’s side door before they had to jump off the road to avoid being run over.

“He put officers in an extremely dangerous position,” Sgt Nelson said.

Officers took down Steele’s registration plate and followed him to his home, which was nearby, where the 50-year-old crashed his car into his carport.

Sgt Nelson said officers told Steele, who had no alcohol in his system, to get out of the ute but he refused, and he had to be forcibly removed.

He then admitted to police that he did not see them “because he was eating McDonald’s takeaway at the time”.

Steele pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

He was fined $1200 and disqualified for six months.

Defence lawyer Emma Ferrett said Steele, a safety officer for Queensland Rail, was driving home after buying McDonald’s for dinner and was tired.

“He started eating chips out of the bag,” Ms Ferrett said.

Ms Ferrett said her client did not even realise he had almost run over police officers when they arrested him.

“He was quite dazed and confused, which is why he didn’t immediately get out of the vehicle when he was directed,” she said.

“His father served as a police officer for many years and was killed in the line of duty.”

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess said the offence was very strange.

“It’s bizarre that you failed to see two police officers with torches and flashing lights,” Ms Sturgess said.

“To then crash into your own car port... it’s not a matter of momentary inattention.”