Harold Chatfield: Jason Wylie faces court after charity worker’s death
Jason Wylie was speeding when he lost control of his Holden Commodore and fatally struck respected Aboriginal elder Harold Chatfield. Ahead of Wylie’s sentencing, his victim’s family told a court how the loss had forever altered their lives.
Inner West
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The grief-stricken family of charity worker Harold Chatfield, who was killed when speeding racecar driver Jason Wylie struck him by the side of the road, have told a court how the loss of the respected Aboriginal elder had shaken them to their core.
Mr Chatfield was knocked down and killed outside an inner west school that a young relative attended, and he was there that day to see the relative accept an award.
Nobody could have foreseen the actions of Jason James Wylie, who was speeding when he lost control of his black Holden Commodore and fatally struck 55-year-old Mr Hatfield when he was standing on the footpath near the inner west high school on July 5, 2018.
Wylie, a 42-year-old former professional driver who competed in events including the Bathurst V8 300 in the 1990s, was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death.
He was due to be sentenced at Parramatta District Court on Friday, when Judge Sophia Beckett fought back tears after reading statements on behalf of his relatives, who watched in the court room, via audio visual link from the family home in Canberra.
The statement of the young relative who received an award that day, described to the court how he himself had experienced feelings of guilt over the death.
“It has scared me,’’ the victim impact statement said.
“This event has made me very unsociable and very distraught being around cars or even going to school.
“This incident has made my mind foggy. I can’t socialise with my peers as much (because) I have developed severe anxiety due to what happened outside my school.
“When I am in the back seat I’m always alert as I know what a car can do to a person even if they are in a car themselves.’’
Mr Chatfield’s former partner,Traci Harris, told the court the relative often took his ashes to bed when he struggled to cope with his loss.
The court heard how a street-smart Mr Chatfield grew up in Woolloomooloo and Redfern and was a respected elder in the indigenous community.
He overcame gambling and alcohol problems before working for St Vincent de Paul and CatholicCare in Canberra and Sydney.
He was employed at CatholicCare’s Waitara Family Centre as a homelessness support worker for two years to 2017.
The court heard how Mr Chatfield also shared a close bond with Ms Harris’s now adult son from a previous relationship.
“Most Aboriginal boys’ fathers are in jail. Harold turned his life around and loved these children,’’ she said.
“I still go to the phone to ring him sometimes.’’
Justice Beckett also read victim impact statements on behalf of Mr Chatfield’s sister and niece.
Judge Beckett told the family Mr Chatfield would be proud of them.
“He seemed like an incredible man,’’ she said. “You’ll all have to carry on his work as much as you can.’’
The matter was adjourned to September 18 so evidence could be secured ahead of sentencing.
Wylie’s bail was continued.