A 20-year-old Bruce woman is facing court next year charged with manslaughter and other offences following the death of 20 year-old university student Matthew McLuckie in a two-vehicle collision on Hindmarsh Drive earlier this year.
At about 10.55pm on May 19, police received reports of a vehicle travelling on the wrong side of Hindmarsh Drive – travelling east in the westbound lanes.
The 20-year-old had been driving home from his part-time job at Canberra Airport heading west when, police will allege, a vehicle, driven by the 20-year-old woman, drove on the wrong side of the road towards him at a speed of no less than 177km/h.
The two vehicles collided head-on and both vehicles were severely damaged. The 20-year-old man died a short time later in Canberra Hospital from significant injuries. The female driver of the other vehicle was also injured and is still receiving extensive medical care.
A representative of the woman was served yesterday (December 21) with a summons for her to appear in court on February 7 to face charges of manslaughter, culpable drive causing death, aggravated reckless driving, unlicensed driving, and driving a motor vehicle without consent.
A third vehicle, believed to have also been travelling east in the westbound lanes of Hindmarsh Drive before the collision, has been recovered by police. Enquiries relating to the driver of that vehicle at the time of the collision are ongoing.
In August Matthew McLuckie’s grieving father Tom told “CityNews” his son – who was studying computing at the ANU – was a level-headed young man who had a bright future mapped out.
“Matthew wasn’t a partygoer, he was a grateful, hardworking, young man who was focused on his future,” said McLuckie.
“He was saving all the money he earned from his job to buy a house or an apartment. He was preparing to have his life, now that’s been taken away from him.”
Determined that no other family should face what his has endured, McLuckie organised three petitions that were presented to the ACT Legislative Assembly for legislated change.
His campaign, “ACT Now for Safer Roads”, calls for higher minimum mandatory sentencing for dangerous drivers, and is focused on introducing tougher penalties for repeat driving offenders.
“The amount of reoffending from people in the ACT on parole, on suspended sentences, on good-behaviour bonds and on intensive corrections orders is huge,” said McLuckie.
“You can basically do what you want in Canberra, go through the Supreme Court and get a slap on the hand.
“There are certain people in the community who need a prison sentence to represent the crime they committed, particularly the repeat offenders who have a conviction list the length of your arm.”
In the months since his son’s death, McLuckie has compiled and examined sentencing outcomes, drawing the conclusion that they are inadequate to act as a real deterrent against dangerous driving behaviour.
Anybody with information should call 1800 333000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Information can be provided anonymously.
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