NT Coroner to hold death in custody investigation into fatal Alawa crash

Police are expected to provide evidence to the coroner after a 36-year-old mother was ‘internally decapitated’ during a high-speed pursuit through Darwin.

Police investigate the scene of a horror crash on Trower Rd at Lakeside Drv overnight. Picture Glenn Campbell

The final moments of a 36-year-old mother who was “internally decapitated” during a high-speed police pursuit will be the subject of a public coronial inquiry.

The NT Coroner’s office has confirmed it will be holding a hearing into the death in police custody of the 36-year-old Ngukurr woman, known for cultural reasons as DT, on May 31.

The mandatory inquest hearing will be held exactly 15 days after the two-year anniversary of the fatal crash in Alawa.

At the time, NT Police confirmed the 36-year-old passenger was fatally injured after a small hatchback ran a red light and hit another car at the intersection of Trower and Rapid Creek roads on May 16, 2021.

The young driver behind the wheel, 22-year-old Peter Lynch was sentenced in November to eight years in prison, with a four-year non-parole period after pleading guilty to manslaughter, dangerous driving and recklessly endangering life.

At the time, a police spokesman said the fatal crash occurred after a “short police pursuit”.

Police investigate the scene of a horror crash on Trower Rd at Lakeside Dr overnight. Picture Glenn Campbell

The Supreme Court heard Lynch was unlicensed as he was driving his brother’s car down Smith St, with three others in the passenger seats, when police ordered him to stop.

The court heard the then-21-year-old initially pulled over but as soon as officers started to approach the car he sped off — leading a convoy of police cars through Darwin as he erratically tried to evade officers.

The court heard his response was potentially “a stress-based response from seeing the lights of police”, with the young man telling psychologists: “I got flashbacks that they were going to get me and hurt me.”

Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage ahead of the Kumanjayi Walker they will be holding an hearing into the death in police custody of the 36-year-old Ngukurr woman, known for cultural reasons as DT, on May 31. Picture: Glenn Campbell

However, Justice Stephen Southwood called Lynch an “unreliable historian” and dismissed the expert psychologist reports.

He found the hatchback had reached a speed of 160km/h when Lynch ploughed through a red light in Alawa straight into traffic.

The court heard the car rolled several times, with an autopsy revealing DT was “internally decapitated” by the force of the crash.

The coronial will likely assess if police actions contributed to the fatal crash, and if so, if changes were needed to prevent future deaths in custody.

The Supreme Court heard police initially decided not to chase Lynch, due to traffic in the CBD but repeated efforts were made to get the small car to pull over.

An internal police Emergency Vehicle Driving and Pursuit Driving General Order, obtained by this publication, states “members are to only engage in such driving in a safe, responsible and effective manner to minimise risk to others and the community”.

It said the risk assessment of a pursuit should consider the imminent danger to any person, the significance of the offence, the risk the target vehicle would pose if not stopped, their manner of driving, the identity of the driver and passengers and if their behaviour changes with the presence of police and other factors.

The confidential police orders said a pursuit should be “immediately terminated” if “the risks outweigh the objective” or “it exposes the public, police, or suspects to unjustifiable risk.

“All instances of pursuit driving places an onerous duty on members that weighs heavily in favour of the need for prudence, restraint and the absolute commitment to the protection of life,” it said.

Originally published as NT Coroner to hold death in custody investigation into fatal Alawa crash