Road rager Anthony John Knowles sentenced to jail time for ‘terrifying ordeal’

A ‘terrifying’ road rage incident left a family traumatised, including a five-year-old child needing therapy. The road rager has been sentenced.

Scales of Justice. Picture: istock image

A Hobart judge has sentenced a Ross man to three years jail after a “terrifying ordeal” of road rage, which left a young family of four with traumatised.

Anthony John Knowles, 43, was found guilty of one count of dangerous driving and one count of assault by Acting Justice David Porter on Friday following a driving incident on Ashby Road between Ross and Campbell Town that the judge described as “involving a high degree of criminality”.

At around 6.30am on May 6, 202, the victim Benjamin Cowen was driving his 4WD north on Ashby Road with his wife and two children aged five years and 18 months in the car.

Knowles was driving a ute in the opposite direction on Ashby Road and passed Mr Cowen’s car, which he alleged had its headlights on high beam.

Shortly after, Knowles turned his vehicle around to follow the Cowen’s vehicle, without his headlights on, then flashing his headlights which led to Mr Cowen pulling over his vehicle.

Knowles continued to drive towards the vehicle, flashing his headlights and attempting to overtake, but clipped the rear of the vehicle before driving ahead and parking in the middle of the road to block the Cowen’s vehicle in.

Mr Cowen decided to travel in the opposite direction to avoid any confrontation, yet 10 minutes later the defendant drove up close behind the Cowen’s car, flashing his headlights.

Knowles then drove alongside the Cowen’s, scraping the side of and knocking off his own side mirror before both cars stopped.

Mr Cowen had called the police by this time, who told them to drive to Oatlands.

As they attempted to do so, Knowles drove up close behind their vehicle, intentionally driving into the rear of the vehicle a total of seven times, with the last contact pushing the Cowen’s vehicle off the road and clipping the rear of the vehicle again.

Acting Justice Porter said the particulars of Knowles’ driving arose from “angry retribution for some perceived slight, and for the purposes of instilling fear” that placed the Cowen’s at risk.

“This must have been a terrifying ordeal,” Acting Justice Porter said.

“Actual physical harm was caused to Mr Cowen and emotional harm to all occupants of the vehicle.”

Mr Cowen suffered an aggravation of a pre-existing neck injury and lower back injuries from whiplash, while his car was considered by his insurance company to be a “write off”, with a replacement value over $24,000.

Both Mr Cowen and Ms Cowen suffered trauma from the incident, Mr Cowen diagnosed with PTSD and major depressive disorder and his wife Isle needing to take stress-leave from work.

Their five-year-old son has also been dealing with mental health issues and is receiving counselling.

Given Knowles’ previous record including road safety and alcohol and drugs breaches, Acting Justice Porter stated that “there was little alternative to a lengthy term of imprisonment”

Knowles was sentenced to three years imprisonment eligible for parole after serving one-half of that sentence.

He will also be disqualified from driving for five years from his release as well as being ordered to pay $24,044.77 for the Cowen’s vehicle.

Originally published as Road rager Anthony John Knowles sentenced to jail time for ‘terrifying ordeal’