Man charged with manslaughter following Monaro Highway collision
A 28-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter and other offences following a two car collision on the Monaro Highway last month.
About 1am on Monday, 8 March 2021 a 19-year-old man was killed following a collision involving two vehicles travelling south on the Monaro Highway near Hume.
The 28-year-old man was driving a Honda Civic that collided with the rear of a Toyota Corolla driven by the 19-year-old.
ACT Road Policing’s Major Collision Team began an investigation into the circumstances of the collision and yesterday (31 March 2021) a summons was issued for the 28-year-old to appear in court. He has been charged with manslaughter, aggravated dangerous driving, level 4 drink driving and drive with prescribed drug in oral fluid.
Investigations indicated that after being hit from behind, the Corolla was spun from the roadway into the centre median where it rolled and struck a tree. The driver of the Honda Civic, who was not injured, provided a positive screening test for alcohol and drugs at the scene, and was conveyed to hospital for mandatory blood testing.
Police will allege that investigations identified the offending driver (immediately prior to the collision) was captured by an ACT Government fixed speed camera on the Monaro Highway, Fyshwick at a speed of 149km/h in a 100km/h zone.
Further analysis of CCTV recordings of the Honda Civic at locations along the Monaro Highway indicated it was travelling at a speeds exceeding 160km/h in the 80km/h zone moments before the collision.
The result of mandatory blood testing following the collision indicated the driver of the Civic had a blood alcohol level of 0.186, with MDMA also detected. Further blood analysis is in progress.
The man is scheduled to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on 24 June 2021.
ACT Road Policing’s Detective Inspector Donna Hofmeier said that this was a senseless loss of life which was completely avoidable.
“As a result of one man’s reckless actions, a young man has lost his life in the most tragic circumstances,” Detective Inspector Hofmeier said.
“The 19-year-old was a completely innocent party in this collision. There was no street racing and no interactions between the two drivers before the two cars collided.
“We regularly say we are frustrated with drivers that do the wrong thing, but in this case it’s more than frustration, it’s a sense of needless loss.
“We have a young man dead and another facing serious criminal charges for his actions.
“If you are going out this weekend – drink or drive. You can’t do both.”
(Text: (ACT Policing)
