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Rozlyn Grace Walker faces Peak Downs fatal crash witnesses in court

A driver found guilty of causing a horrific highway crash that claimed the life of health hero Tam Dixon Frewin has been accused of fabricating claims another vehicle was involved in the fatal collision.

Rozlyn Grace Walker (left) has been found guilty of causing the Peak Downs Highway crash that claimed the life of Tam Dixon Frewin (right).
Rozlyn Grace Walker (left) has been found guilty of causing the Peak Downs Highway crash that claimed the life of Tam Dixon Frewin (right).

A driver found guilty of causing a horrific highway crash that claimed the life of health hero Tam Dixon Frewin has been accused of fabricating claims another vehicle was involved in the fatal collision.

Rozlyn Grace Walker was charged with driving without due care and attention causing death over the crash on the Peak Downs Highway at Strathfield on February 2, 2022.

Walker pleaded not guilty.

When she gave evidence, she adamantly claimed another vehicle had oversteered into her lane after overtaking up to five cars and struck her vehicle, causing it to veer into oncoming traffic and strike the vehicle Ms Dixon Frewin was driving in the opposite lane.

Walker argued she was not responsible for what happened as she was not in control of her vehicle at the time of the crash because of this alleged third vehicle.

Rozlyn Grace Walker had pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention over a fatal crash that claimed the life of Tammy Dixon Frewin on February 2, 2022 on the Peak Downs Highway.
Rozlyn Grace Walker had pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention over a fatal crash that claimed the life of Tammy Dixon Frewin on February 2, 2022 on the Peak Downs Highway.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Ms Dixon Frewin “had nowhere to go” when Walker’s silver Toyota Prado veered into her lane.

As a result of the collision Ms Dixon Frewin suffered a traumatic amputation at the legs and came to rest in a back footwell of the Honda.

She was still alive and trapped in the vehicle when paramedics arrived, but because of her catastrophic injuries she died at the scene as they comforted her.

Grim footage detailing the carnage after the two vehicles collided was played in court because Walker had indicated the white ute that she says had clipped her Toyota was captured in it.

However the allegation was shut down when expert witness and forensic crash investigator Sergeant Michael Hollett was recalled to give evidence.

The court heard there was not enough damage to either the ute she alleged was involved or her own vehicle to suggest there had been an earlier high speed collision.

Tam Dixon Frewin with her husband Ian Frewin. . Picture: Facebook
Tam Dixon Frewin with her husband Ian Frewin. . Picture: Facebook

Sergeant Hollett also said had there been a collision moments before the head-on crash the “damage profiles” of the Toyota and Honda would have been completely different.

“There’s no way … (it) did not occur,” he told the court.

Two motorists who had been driving on the highway at the time of the crash were also recalled and told the court they did not witness any initial collision.

The court heard after the crash Walker was heard saying “why me, why did this happen”.

She had been fully conscious and at no point did she mention that a third vehicle had been involved in the crash.

The court heard Walked claimed she did not remember the crash but Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said it was “not possible for her not to remember what happened” as she did not have a head injury.

“I reject that (Walker) had an accident with another vehicle which put her onto the other side of the road and caused the accident,” Ms Hartigan said.

Clermont mother Tam Dixon Frewin had been driving a Honda when it and a Toyota collided almost head on. Picture: Contributed
Clermont mother Tam Dixon Frewin had been driving a Honda when it and a Toyota collided almost head on. Picture: Contributed

“It is completely against the weight of the evidence.”

Ms Hartigan also leaned on the expert evidence in making her decision that “it’s just simply not possible that that happened”.

“It is a complete fabrication,” Ms Hartigan said, finding Walker guilty of reckless driving causing death.

“I find that that she lied … completely out of hand.”

Ms Hartigan said given how Walker behaved when given evidence she was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Friday.

“I’m considering imprisonment,” she said.

‘It’s outrageous’: Shock allegations third driver involved in fatal crash

A mother accused of causing a fatal crash on the Peak Downs Highway has told a court another driver clipped her vehicle causing her to swerve into oncoming traffic.

Rozlyn Grace Walker was driving a silver Toyota Prado involved in a horror head-on collision that claimed the life of Clermont health worker Tammy Dixon Frewin on February 2, 2022.

She has pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention causing death.

She opted to give evidence during her hearing and told Mackay Magistrates Court another driver had overcorrected after overtaking four or five vehicles and clipped the back of her SUV.

Rozlyn Grace Walker had been driving a silver Toyota Prado. Picture: Contributed
Rozlyn Grace Walker had been driving a silver Toyota Prado. Picture: Contributed

“We’ve heard from 14 witnesses and none of this was brought up with any of them,” Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said on Tuesday, voicing her concern about the new information.

Ms Walker also claimed she could identify the vehicle that clipped her Prado in footage that had been captured by body worn cameras of a Forensic Crash Unit officer.

Two FCU officers, Sergeant Michael Hollett and Sergeant Michael Parker, gave evidence at the hearing that only two vehicles had been involved in the collision.

Sergeant Hollett told the court investigations indicated for reasons unknown Ms Walker’s vehicle had veered into the oncoming traffic lane by between 30cm and 1.3m causing a partial head-on collision with the vehicle Ms Dixon Frewin was in.

Ms Walker’s allegation that a third vehicle had caused damage to her car as it clipped her and that she could identify said vehicle was not put to either FCU witness, nor was it put to other drivers who had told the court there were no other vehicles around Ms Walker’s Prado at the time of the collision.

Rozlyn Grace Walker is charged with reckless driving causing death and driving with a relevant drug in her system over a fatal crash on the Peak Downs Highway at Strathfield that claimed the life of Tammy Dixon-Frewin. She appeared in Mackay Magistrates Court for the first time on May 3, 2022 over the February 2, 2022 fatal crash. Photo: Duncan Evans
Rozlyn Grace Walker is charged with reckless driving causing death and driving with a relevant drug in her system over a fatal crash on the Peak Downs Highway at Strathfield that claimed the life of Tammy Dixon-Frewin. She appeared in Mackay Magistrates Court for the first time on May 3, 2022 over the February 2, 2022 fatal crash. Photo: Duncan Evans

She said claimed there was visible damage linking her vehicle to the third vehicle she alleges caused the fatal crash, and repeatedly tried to introduce new information including what she had told previous legal representation as well as her own forensic crash opinions, which are outside court protocols, despite being warned multiple times it was not allowed.

“I just have to act on the evidence and absolutely not a single person has told me thus far except for you that there’s any other collisions are being considered,” Ms Hartigan said.

As a result four witnesses will be recalled on Wednesday so they can be questioned over this new allegation.

“The relevance of this is that it’s never ever been said to anyone,” Ms Hartigan said.

The court heard witnesses had previously been questioned about microsleeps or the potential to miss a bend in the road prior to where the collision occurred.

“It’s just fanciful, it’s outrageous the way that this has come out,” Ms Hartigan said.

The court heard blood tests revealed Ms Walker also had methylamphetamine in her system but there was nothing to indicate this result was linked to the fatal crash.

The matter continues.

‘Tammy didn’t make it’: Fatal crash witnesses recount harrowing scene

Witnesses have relived a tragic crash that killed Clermont health worker Tammy Dixon Frewin last year, with one young woman tearfully reading her diary entry as the driver allegedly responsible for the crash faced court.

Rozlyn Grace Walker was allegedly driving a Toyota Prado home on February 2, 2022 when a collision occurred with Ms Dixon Frewin’s Honda on the Peak Downs Highway.

An Australia Day Award nominee, Ms Dixon Frewin was driving an elderly client to the doctor when the crash killed her in Strathfield.

A total of 15 witnesses, including other drivers, paramedics, and police officers, were at Mackay courthouse to give evidence in Ms Walker’s hearing on Monday, May 29.

One young woman who pulled over at the scene was asked by Ms Walker’s lawyer Peter Clarke to read out her diary entry from the day of the tragedy.

Walker was also injured in the collision. Picture: Contributed
Walker was also injured in the collision. Picture: Contributed

“Accident on highway at two kilometres past Fitzroy Development turn-off, approximately 3.45pm, 25km west of Nebo,” she read through tears.

“Prado and Honda van, Roz, Prado Driver, Graham Wood, 76, Honda passenger, Tammy, 44, Honda Driver, provided first aid to all.

“Tammy didn’t make it.”

The young woman was a diesel fitter heading to work on changeover day like many others on the road on February 2, and said before the crash she was allegedly overtaken by a Prado “driving with excessive speed and quite recklessly”.

It is alleged Ms Walker had crossed the centre lines in her Toyota, which collided head-on with Mrs Dixon Frewin’s vehicle, which was corroborated by a male witness.

Questioned by Sergeant Linden Pollard, the man said “the Prado has veered across into our lane of traffic … seconds” before the collision.

Walker has been remanded in custody awaiting sentence.
Walker has been remanded in custody awaiting sentence.

Several other witnesses told the court about pulling over to help the trapped occupants, clear shrapnel and control traffic until authorities arrived.

One of these people was Ms Walker’s supervisor at her truck driving job at the time, who said she did not seem tired or under the influence of anything during her shift.

A Queensland Ambulance paramedic who later arrived on scene said Ms Walker’s behaviour “at times was a little bizarre”.

“One minute she would be screaming as if she was in very significant pain … (then) she would be talking to someone to get things out of her car,” the paramedic told the court.

“It was hard to assess whether she had a head injury (or) things like drugs or alcohol happening.”

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/police-courts/rozlyn-grace-walker-faces-peak-downs-fatal-crash-witnesses-in-court/news-story/c70464cfe65ee874348f50ef008fe9ea