Scott Thornton given suspended sentence for crashing modified Nissan Skyline at West Lakes Shore
An Adelaide dad who crashed the car he’d spent up to $180k modifying – injuring his son and nearly killing his partner – has been sentenced.
Police & Courts
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A father who sped off from traffic lights in his “pride and joy” – a car he spent more than $100,000 modifying – before crashing and almost killing his partner has avoided an immediate jail term.
Scott William Thornton, 32, of Blakeview was sentenced in the District Court on Wednesday after earlier pleading guilty to two counts of causing harm by dangerous driving over a crash about 2.15pm on August 21, 2021.
In sentencing, Judge Jane Schammer said Thornton was at the intersection of Military Rd and West Lakes Blvd at West Lakes Shore, he and other drivers began revving their engines while stopped at the lights.
“When the lights turned green, you and the other vehicles took off at a rapid rate,” she said.
“Your vehicle accelerated and then careered out of control across the left lane. It mounted the gutter, hit trees and collided with the brick wall of a residential premises and the vehicle sustained extensive damage.”
She said Thornton was uninjured and about to get out of his Nissan Skyline, while his partner was trapped and suffered life threatening injuries requiring multiple surgeries. Thornton’s young son suffered a lacerations but made a full recovery.
Judge Schammer said the offending was “very serious” and had “almost claimed the life of your partner” and he was “very fortunate” no one else was harmed or killed.
She said crash investigators had determined Thornton had accelerated from the traffic lights, causing “a sustained wheel spin for about 180m”, losing control of the car.
She said Thornton had spent at least $100,000, possibly up to $180,000 modifying the car and some of the modifications “did not comply with vehicle standards”.
“This was a vehicle that you would often drive on a racetrack,” she said.
“Clearly the manner in which you drove that day ought to have been confined to the racetrack under controlled conditions and not on a suburban street on a Saturday afternoon with your partner and toddler in the vehicle.
Judge Schammer said Thornton was “truly sorry” and “guilt-ridden” about causing the crash.
“I accept that you understand the seriousness of the offending and that you are determined to never put your family, or the wider community, again at risk,” she said.
Judge Schammer said prior to the crash Thornton had been involved in the drag racing scene and spent much of his spare time “in and around cars”.
“I am told that you had previously driven the Nissan on race tracks without incident and the car was previously your pride and joy.”
But she said Thornton said he no longer wanted to be involved in those activities because “they trigger you with the sound of screeching tyres and the smell of exhaust or rubber”.
She suspended a jail term of just under 18 months in favour of a two-year good behaviour bond. She ordered he complete 120 hours of community service and banned him from driving for 2.5 years.
She declined an order to forfeit the car, which was a write-off, allowing Thornton to sell it for spare parts.
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