Former Supercars driver Luke Youlden testifies driver input was a factor in Alexander Campbell’s fatal Lamborghini crash

A former Supercars driver has told a court that “driver input” had to be a factor in the Lamborghini crash that killed teenage pedestrian Sophia Naismith.

Alexander Campbell, centre, who was driving the Lamborghini which struck and killed Sophia Naismith, enters the court for Tuesday’s hearing. Picture: Sarah Reed

Driver input must have been a factor in the Lamborghini crash which killed teenager Sophia Naismith, while a computer chip that could have given information about the crash was not activated, a court has heard.

Alexander Damian Campbell, who is charged with causing death by dangerous driving, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday for a hearing where experts were called to give evidence about the crash.

Luke Youlden, a former Supercars driver and driving instructor, told the court driver input must have been a factor in the crash which killed Ms Naismith, 15, in June 2019.

It is alleged Campbell killed Ms Naismith and injured her friend, Jordyn Callea, when his $330,000 car veered on to the footpath on Morphett Rd, Glengowrie.

“Cars just do not turn sideways and leave the road without any significant driver input,” he said.

“You can’t be just be cruising down the road at 60 to 80km/h and suddenly the car just turns left or right – it has to have some sort of input or some sort of mechanical failure.”

Supercar expert Luke Youlden.

Sophia Naismith. Picture: Instagram

“I think you’ve established there is no sort of mechanical failure so it has to be driver input.”

Youlden said he had driven Lamborghini Huracans “countless times” but had never crashed one.

He said the car had three modes – strada (street), sports and corsa (track) and believed Campbell was “likely” in sport or corsa mode.

He said a Lamborghini driven in street mode would be “extremely safe” for the average driver.

“As you start pressing modes then they reasonably expect you to be more competent as a driver.

“It would take a significant acceleration moment for the car to lose any sort of traction, in street mode in particular.”

Mr Youlden said he was unable to say whether a stability setting was switched off or on at the time of the crash.

SA Police major crash reconstruction expert Sergeant Mark Fulcher told the court a computer chip, or electronic data recorder, which records the five seconds of information about the car when airbags are deployed, including the speed, mode and gear the car was in was not activated at the time of the crash because it was only used in the United States.

“The Lamborghini has (the chip) switched of between 2014 and 2017 for everyone but the US.”

Alexander Campbell with his Lamborghini. Picture: You Tube

“It would have had a crash pulse, the G forces … vehicle speed, accelerator position and whether the brake was on or off.”

He said attempts to access the information by tricking the car computer it was a US model failed because there was no data.

Former Supercars driver Dean Canto also testified briefly.

Campbell, 35, of Elizabeth North, is charged with one count of causing death and one court of causing serious harm by dangerous driver.

It is alleged Campbell killed Ms Naismith and injured her friend, Jordyn Callea, when his $330,000 car veered on to the footpath on Morphett Rd, Glengowrie in June 2019.

Ms Naismith was a Year 10 student at Brighton High School and a talented volleyball player whose death rocked her communities.

Campbell was on the way home from a car event where his vehicle, which bore the number plate “PSYKO”, was showcased.

Craig Caldicott, for Campbell, said he would ask the court to strike out the case against his client. He told the court he would be applying for the evidence of Mr Youlden and Mr Canto to be excluded from any trial.

Outside court, he said he did not believe the two drivers should be considered experts.

“I don’t believe that they’re experts,” he said.

He said evidence that Campbell was driving between 53-55km/h in a 60km/h at the time of the crash on a major arterial road shows Campbell was “well within the speed limit”.

“I say it’s an accident. Accidents happen all the time and that’s exactly what they are.”

Campbell returns to court in February.