San Remo: Justin Quarta jailed over public shooting, police pursuit

A career criminal was seen “laughing” at officers during a police pursuit just weeks after firing two shotgun blasts at a car in a brazen daylight shooting, a court has heard.

A career criminal, who has spent more than half his adult life in jail, was seen “laughing” at officers who were forced to terminate a dangerous police pursuit on the M1 motorway.

But police have had the last laugh after the 42-year-old crashed a motorcycle later that day and ended up in hospital where he was charged with the pursuit, driving while disqualified and a brazen drive-by shooting.

Justin Quarta faced Downing Centre District Court on Friday after he was convicted of using an offensive weapon to commit an indictable offence of intimidation — a public shooting — following a judge-alone trial at Gosford in November.

The 42-year-old had pleaded guilty to leading police on a pursuit and driving while disqualified on the eve of his trial.

The court heard Quarta was in a car with a woman named Tahlia O’Grady in the early hours of Mach 3, 2020, when they had visited the Lake Haven McDonald’s before he got in a lengthy argument on the phone with a man named Isaiah Bowman over Quarta’s girlfriend Jamie Lee.

Quarta and a woman named Tahlia O’Grady had breakfast at Lake Haven McDonald’s before he opened fire on a Holden Commodore. Image: Google Maps.

The court heard Quarta was angry at Mr Bowman for sleeping with Ms Lee and Mr Bowman was angry at Quarta for sleeping with Ms O’Grady.

Judge Sharon Harris said a flurry of angry text messages and calls were exchanged before Quarta, who was driving Ms O’Grady’s Subaru WRX encountered Mr Bowman, who was a passenger in a Holden Commodore, on Emu Drive at San Remo.

“The principle point of tension between the occupants of the two cars was between the offender and Mr Bowman,” Judge Harris said.

“This stemmed from what might blandly be described as a love triangle between the offender, Mr Bowman and a female named Jamie Lee and a subsequent dispute over infidelity.”

Judge Harris said it was not clear from the evidence whether the two cars were on the road because the occupants were looking for each other or it was a “fortuitous encounter”.

Whether they were looking for each other or it was a “fortuitous encounter” but Quarta and Mr Bowman came across each other on Emu Drive at San Remo. Picture: Google

Regardless, Judge Harris said Quarta got out of the Subaru, loaded a shotgun and fired two shots in the direction of the Commodore, which reversed and drove away, about 6.30am.

The court heard just over two weeks later at 10.40am on March 19, 2020, a Traffic and Highway Patrol officer saw a Toyota Corolla roll through a stop sign while exiting one of the twin service stations on the M1 motorway.

The officer activated his lights and sirens and a pursuit was initiated.

Judge Harris said the Highway Patrol officer was advised to terminate the pursuit a short time later and as he exited the freeway he pulled alongside Quarta who was “looking at him, laughing”.

Another police car resumed the chase on the Doyalson Link Rd but the Toyota was later found dumped and abandoned.

The court heard officers later learned Quarta had been involved in a motorcycle crash that same day and was in John Hunter Hospital under police guard.

Quarta was sentenced in the Downing Centre District Court on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Judge Harris said Quarta, who had a lengthy criminal history, had been sentenced to jail in 2017 after shooting at a car twice before leading police on a pursuit.

“The offender was on parole for a shooting offence of an almost identical nature at the time of the commission of the fresh offences,” she said.

“On my calculation Mr Quarter has spent approximately 16 and a half years of his adult life in custody since the age of 19 and is likely institutionalised.”

Judge Harris said Quarta showed little to no remorse and his prospects of rehabilitation were “guarded at best”.

She sentenced Quarta to six years and nine months jail with a non-parole period of four years and six months.

He was also disqualified from driving for a further three years.

With time already served Quarta will be first eligible for release on September 18, 2025.