Morgan Haverfield-Price jailed after losing his appeal following death of Joe Bucca at Chatswood

A road rager behind the wheel of a concrete truck that fatally ran over a cabbie on Sydney’s north shore will serve his sentence behind bars after a court heard the regular cannabis user’s woeful driving record.

Morgan Haverfield-Price has been jailed after a fatal road rage incident.

A truckie who fatally ran over a cabbie at Chatswood will serve his time behind bars with a reduced sentence after a court heard his mental health problems and reliance on medicinal cannabis should allow for special circumstances.

Morgan Haverfield-Price, 36, was last year sentenced to prison for two years with a non-parole period of 16 months following the death of Joe Bucca on December 1 2021.

In February, he unsuccessfully appealed his conviction in the Sydney District Court and on Wednesday he lost his severity appeal and a bid for an intensive correction order, which would allow him to serve the sentence in the community.

He will instead serve 18 months in prison for the fatal incident that started when Haverfield-Price and Mr Bucca overtook each other a total of five times after they turned right from the Pacific Highway onto Fullers Rd before the victim stopped his Ford Focus, got out of the car and argued with Haverfield-Price about 4.30pm.

Haverfield-Price ran over the cabbie who suffered “catastrophic” injuries.

Morgan Haverfield-Price has been sentenced to full time custody.

Judge Jane Culver said while Haverfield-Price was remorseful, she was “not entirely convinced he understands the full nature of his offending’’.

The fatality was just three months after Haverfield-Price was on bail for a road rage incident at Parramatta and Lucas roads, Burwood, in September 2021 when he got into an argument with the victim, got back in his vehicle and ploughed into him on a footpath.

The victim was rendered unconscious and required surgery. Haverfield-Price was convicted of grievous bodily harm.

His other traffic offences included drink driving in 2013 and 2014, speeding, burnouts and driving while disqualified.

The Crown prosecutor said the fact Haverfield-Price was on bail when he fatally ran over Mr Bucca made it an aggravating factor and increased the risk he posed to community safety.

Haverfield-Price relied on medicinal cannabis, which he said was used to treat his depression and anxiety he suffered from being bullied in his developmental years, and included a suicide attempt six years ago.

The road rager in 2023 at a local court hearing.

The court heard he only reduced his alcohol intake – which could range from a few cans to a case of Jack Daniels daily – in March.

The court also heard Haverfield-Price had sought therapy, including for anger management and was trying to start a family with his partner.

Judge Culver acknowledged Haverfield-Price was stressed at the time of the offence and had problems with running his concrete business.

Defence barrister Arjun Chhabra told the court his client had attention-deficit disorder and people with that condition were four times more likely to be involved in motor vehicle incidents.

His psychologist agreed his mental health problems would make jail more onerous.

However, the judge also read aloud the devastating emotional and financial toll the death had on Mr Bucca’s wife and family.

“She suffers from anxiety and depression and has trouble sleeping,’’ the court heard.

“She’s been unable to work due to these issues and has to have ongoing professional counselling.

“She writes ‘the loss of my husband and friend has left me with profound grief and sadness, as with my children and other family members. It is a terrible tragedy’.’’

Judge Culver told the court the offender’s mental health problems could only partly mitigate his moral culpability.

She said while his psychologist was optimistic about his rehabilitation, community safety and general deterrence was the chief concern, with the offender having a “greatly troubling” traffic history.

After fighting charges of negligent driving occasioning death, driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous and driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in his blood, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail with a non-parole period of 10 months.

He will be eligible for parole on March 4, 2026.

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