Brisbane Broncos star Ezra Mam fined for head-on crash while on ...
Brisbane Broncos star Ezra Mam has been fined and disqualified from driving after a head-on crash while on a "cocktail" of drugs, including cocaine.
The 21-year-old pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to one count of driving while relevant drug is present in blood, and driving without a licence.
Mam was driving his ute when it collided with an Uber at Bardon, in Brisbane's west, on October 18.
Two people in the car, a child and a woman, suffered minor injuries.
Mam failed a roadside drug test at the crash site and a second later at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.
Mam was fined $850 and had his licence disqualified for at least six months. (AAP: James Gourley)
He entered a rehabilitation facility shortly after for four weeks and is undertaking counselling for a year.
He was fined $850 and had his licence disqualified for at least six months, with no conviction recorded.
'I am truly sorry'Speaking outside the court, flanked by a team of lawyers, Mam made a wide-ranging apology committing himself to change.
"Today is a very important step in owning my actions and starting to make things right," he said.
"To the people involved in the accident, I am truly sorry.
"This incident isn't a reflection of who I want to be or what is expected of me as a role model.
"To the NRL, Brisbane Broncos, the fans and my family, I'm sorry.
"I promise to work on being a better person and representative of the club and the game that I love."
Mams media representative said he will call his two victims this afternoon to personally apologise, and to see if they could meet in person.
The Broncos contacted the pair shortly after the crash.
'Stupid decision'Magistrate Mark Nolan said Mam's decision to get behind the wheel was "stupid", and put his life and the lives of others at risk.
He said he was fortunate to be standing before him and implored him to learn from his actions.
"There's no place for illicit drugs in our community, and there's certainly no place for a person who is using illicit drugs to get behind the wheel of a car," he said.
"You've got to learn from this."
Speaking outside court, Mam said he was "truly sorry". (AP: David Becker)
He took into account his limited traffic history, early guilty plea, and punishment sustained from the media coverage.
The NRL and Broncos investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The Broncos declined to comment on the incident.
