South Australian police crush L-plate hoon Tarelle Power-Williams’ ute after caught speeding at 253km/h on North-South Motorway
SA Police crushed the Holden ute as a message to other speeders after the L-plate hoon was clocked driving over 250km/h on one of Adelaide’s busiest roads.
Police & Courts
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The car of an L-plate driver who was caught speeding at 253km/h on the North-South Motorway has been crushed by South Australian Police.
Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams was jailed in July after being dubbed the “most dangerous person in the state for the minutes that he was driving.
His jet black Holden Commodore ute was publicly crushed on Friday, with police hoping it sent a powerful message to dangerous drivers.
Power-Williams, 20, was on his L-plates when he was detected speeding at 253km/h in the 110km/h zone on the North South Motorway at Waterloo Corner on January 30 in an unregistered black Holden ute.
As a learner driver, he was only permitted to be driving at 100km/h.
SA Police on Friday morning publicly crushed the Holden Commodore ute at Wingfield in a move they say should act as a deterrent for all road users.
The move drew a mixture of criticism and praise on social media.
“Well done SAPOL,” one person commented on Facebook.
“Should happen more often.”
Another social media user suggested the car should have been scrapped for spare parts rather than destroyed.
“No brains,” he commented.
”Pathetic,” another wrote.
“Why not just sell the vehicle & funds used for something related (to) victims of crime.”
Police applied to the courts for the ute to be forfeited as part of the prosecution, and then invoked the crushing powers as the method of disposal.
The crushed ute will be sold for scrap, with proceeds going to the Victims of Crime Fund.
SA Police Traffic Services Branch officer-in-charge Darren Fielke said the public display was a warning to any driver considering hooning on SA roads.
“This is what motorists driving at extreme speed on our roads can face – jail, having your vehicle crushed and sold for scrap metal and a disqualification from driving,” he said.
“This is a warning for all motorists – be responsible on our roads. It will save lives, keep you out of jail and you’ll be able to keep driving your vehicle.
“The behaviour of every motorist impacts the safety of every other road user. Road trauma has catastrophic effects on families and communities, and we cannot tolerate drivers who blatantly disregard that responsibility.”
Power-Williams was sentenced last month to one year and four months’ jail, with a non-parole period of seven months. He was also disqualified from driving until further order.
The court had heard that he was the “most dangerous person in the state for the minutes that he was driving”.
Police Minister Joe Szakacs said the state’s soaring road toll – which is at 74 lives lost this year compared with 46 at the same time last year – warranted taking the crushing action.
“Hooning is not an innocent act. A stark reminder of this fact is seen in the state’s road toll,” he said.
“The easiest way to keep the keys to your car is to not drive in a dangerous way. Lives are at stake.
“Idiotic and selfish risk-taking on South Australian roads puts all that use our roads in unnecessary danger.”
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