Man charged with murder after triple fatality on Bruce Hwy at Federal

New details have been revealed about how a good Samaritan got caught up in an alleged car chase in the moments leading up to a devastating triple fatal crash, as police charge the sole survivor with three counts of murder.

New details have been revealed about how a good Samaritan got caught up in an alleged car chase in the moments leading up to a devastating triple fatal crash.

Queensland Police this morning confirmed the sole survivor of the crash, Rafferty Raymond Rolfe, 25, of Yandina, has been charged with three counts of murder following the crash on the Bruce Hwy at Federal, south of Gympie, on Friday last week.

Imbil woman Jessica Townley, Yandina woman Gypsy Satterley and Hay Point man Terry Bishop all died in the crash.

Rafferty Rolfe has been charged with three counts of murder after a triple-fatal crash on the Bruce Hwy last week. Picture: Facebook.

The Isuzu MU-X allegedly stolen by Mr Rolfe was alleged to have rammed a Nissan Navara which had Mr Rolfe’s girlfriend Ms Satterley and 65-year-old Mr Bishop inside.

As a result, police allege the Navara crashed into a third car driven by Jessica Townley.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday morning, North Coast Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Superintendent Ben Fadian confirmed Mr Bishop had picked up a “distressed” Ms Satterley from the side of the Bruce Hwy about 3.30am.

Gypsy Satterley and Jessica Townley died in a horror fatal crash on the Bruce Hwy on Friday last week.

Investigators believe the pair travelled 4km while allegedly being pursued by the stolen Isuzu before the initial strike.

“We will allege his vehicle was struck by the white Isuzu motor vehicle and then spun around after that,” Det Sup Fadian said.

He further said police will allege “it was pursued again and struck again before he collided with Ms Townley.”

Det Supt Fadian said police were working to establish a timeline between when the vehicle driven by Rolfe was allegedly carjacking in Gympie on Thursday and the crash early on Friday morning.

Court documents reveal the stolen vehicle was seen allegedly driving dangerously on River Rd, Gympie, before evading police in Curra, north of Gympie, when it is alleged Rolfe failed to stop after a police officer directed him to do so.

When asked further about police interactions with the car Rolfe was allegedly driving, a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said an internal review had been conducted in relation to “police attempts to intercept the alleged stolen Isuzu vehicle (reg. BEC263), July 20, as all operational matters of this nature are”.

“The review determined officers complied with policy and no further action is required,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is fundamentally committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the community.

“Because of the risk posed to themselves and the community, officers must continually assess if a pursuit can be safely engaged and continued.”

Three people were killed in the horror crash on the Bruce Hwy.

It’s further alleged Mr Rolfe stole fuel at a Coles Creek petrol station on Friday while he was in possession of the stolen car.

“So there’s matters between the [alleged] petrol drive off and other incidents in between 4.30pm and 4am that we’re still establishing,” he said.

“We have received information from members of the public who have sighted that vehicle, so we’ve taken statements from those people.”

“Other members of the public did sight that vehicle - they might not have necessarily contacted police about it though.”

Mr Rolfe’s matters were mentioned in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court Tuesday morning. His previous charges of armed robbery, dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful possession of a vehicle, unlawful possession with intent to deprive, stealing, evasion and driving without a licence repeat offender, which had previously been adjourned until July 27, were brought forward to coincide with the new murder charges.

One of the three counts of murder was a domestic violence offence.

Mr Rolfe is yet to enter a plea.

According to court documents, Mr Rolfe, who is employed as an arborist, will be transferred from Sunshine Coast University Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition after being taken with a head injury after the crash, to a secure ward at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.

His matters were adjourned to the Maroochydore Magistrates Court for committal mention on September 15.

There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody.

THE DECEASED

Terry Bishop.

Mr Bishop was travelling to Brisbane for a family wedding to be held on Saturday and it is believed he stopped to help Ms Satterley.

In a statement released by police, his family said the retired 65-year-old was also a former long-term resident of Northgate in Brisbane.

“He leaves behind a wife, daughter, son and five young grandchildren who all loved him dearly,” the family stated.

Ms Townley was an alpaca breeder who had celebrated her birthday two days before her death.

Fellow farmers paid tribute to her and said the tight-knit community was mourning her loss.

Ms Satterley’s sister, Sunshine, also paid tribute to her in the aftermath of the crash and stated on a fundraising page that life had not been kind to “in so many ways” but she still showed up “every damn day”.

Det Supt Fadian said police were trying to build a picture of the relationship between Rolfe and Ms Satterley, which they believed began about four weeks before the crash.

Detective Faidan said investigators had faced some reluctance in getting statements about the couple from those known to them.

The QPS spokeswoman said the service introduced a risk-based pursuit policy in 2006 and it was revised in December 2011 to implement recommendations made by the State Coroner following inquests into pursuit-related deaths.

“These changes were designed to recognise the safety of the community and officers as paramount, whilst still allowing pursuits in permissible circumstances,” the spokeswoman said.

“Given all this, QPS will work to apprehend those who evade interception, but pursuits will often not be the principle means of apprehension.

“Investigations into the crash and the events leading up to it are ongoing and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.”