Emma Rachael Carroll fined for driving without due car and attention causing GBH to teacher

An elite Brisbane schoolteacher was crushed between a two-tonne “tank on wheels” and another vehicle when a parent, whose child she’s due to teach, inadvertently accelerated while picking up her child, a court has heard.

An elite Brisbane schoolteacher was crushed between a two tonne “tank on wheels” and another vehicle when a parent inadvertently accelerated while picking up her child.

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ Schools parent Emma Rachael Carroll, 37, today pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm to teacher Kylie Black outside the Corinda school.

In a strange twist the Brisbane Magistrates Court heard Carroll’s daughter will be taught by Mrs Black when she recovers from her significant injuries.

Emma Rachael Carroll with her lawyer. Pic Annette Dew

At the time of the August crash parents had to stay in their car due to COVID while teachers escorted the pupils to the vehicles.

After her child entered the BMW X6, Carroll turned around to buckle her in, inadvertently pressing the accelerator which automatically disengaged the parking brake, the court heard.

At the time Mrs Black was placing a student’s bag in the back of the car in front.

Police prosecutor Snr Con David Barnes said the 567 horsepower V8 sports SUV propelled forward and pinned the Year 1 teacher against the vehicle in front for about five seconds.

Four inch tyre marks behind the first car’s front tyres indicated the force of the crash.

The mother of two was taken to hospital where she was treated for 11 days. The court heard she suffered fractures to the spine, coccyx, pelvis and femur requiring a rod to be implanted in her upper leg and surgery.

The court heard she was a “devoted and passionate teacher” who faced a huge emotional challenge, “not to mention the pain and suffering of the physicality of the injuries”.

Carroll’s lawyer Jarrod Bell tendered an apology by his client to Mrs Black, saying she did not shy away from the fact serious injuries were caused.

St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School in Corinda. (Picture: Google Maps)

Mr Bell said the model of BMW wasn’t able to be put in park by the driver rather the car did this automatically. It also had an electronic park brake which Carroll had pushed on the day in question. Mr Bell said when the accelerator is pressed the car takes itself out of park and moves forward.

Carroll, who fought back tears at times, was unaware of this feature in what was her husband’s car.

BMW had since seen fit to reintroduce a park feature on newer models due to the “safety issue”, he said.

“It’s just a perfect storm of issues that unfortunately resulted in what can only be described as a truly terrible incident,” he said.

“In terms of assessing her criminality she’s done what she thought were all the right steps … she turns around and her foot hits the accelerator.”

Magistrate Suzette Coates said Carroll, who had no criminal history and an insignificant traffic record, must have been “mortified” at what occurred.

“Nobody would intend to do that, hit the teacher of one of your children,” she said.

Ms Coates distinguished Carroll’s “moment of inadvertence”, in a vehicle she described as a “tank on wheels”, from people who drive with “reckless disregard”’.

Carroll was ordered to pay $5000 restitution to Mrs Black, fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for a year. A traffic conviction was recorded.