SA court documents assert Karlie Pearce-Stevenson’s alleged killer, Daniel Holdom, swerved to avoid kangaroos and caused fatal crash
FOR the first time, The Advertiser can reveal the circumstances surrounding the deadly car crash involving the man accused of murdering Karlie Pearce-Stevenson just months later.
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THE man accused of murdering Karlie Pearce-Stevenson had swerved to avoid kangaroos when he crippled his then-partner and killed two of her children in a car crash.
Court documents released to The Advertiser by the Adelaide Magistrates Court detail, for the first time, events surrounding Daniel Holdom’s September 2008 road crash in South Australia’s Far North.
SA and NSW Police have alleged Holdom, right, murdered Ms Pearce-Stevenson just three months after the incident, which left then-girlfriend Hazel Passmore in a wheelchair.
Her children Ryan, 7, and Willow, 9, died at the scene while, the documents assert, Holdom — using the surname Marshall — told a truck driver he had “swerved to avoid a kangaroo”.
Ms Passmore, who has repeatedly been questioned by police about Karlie and her daughter Khandalyce, supported Holdom’s account in her witness statement.
“She (had) asked Marshall if he wanted her to drive because he had started to yawn ... he refused, stating he was fine,” the documents assert.
“Shortly after, she made Marshall park in a rest stop for approximately 15-20 minutes because he had started to drift over the road.
“About 30 minutes later, she saw two kangaroos standing in the southbound lane ... she screamed at Marshall.
“She then didn’t remember anything until she woke up inside the car (which was) upside down on its roof.”
Holdom, 41, has yet to plead to allegations he murdered Ms Pearce-Stevenson in December 2008, and dumped her body at Belanglo State Forest, where it was found in August 2010.
He has not been charged with the murder of Khandalyce, whose body was found in a suitcase at Wynarka in 2015.
Police have alleged a woman in a wheelchair impersonated Ms Pearce-Stevenson to access her bank account.
No charges have been laid against Ms Passmore, 33.
The documents released by the court charged Holdom with three aggravated counts of driving without due care.
The crash occurred on the Sturt Highway at Indulkana and Holdom’s rented sedan rolled three times.
He and Ms Passmore’s youngest child, Lauryn, escaped serious injury.
Ms Passmore, whose left leg had to be amputated above the knee, told police she “did not blame Marshall.”
Holdom was disqualified from driving for 12 months.