Rory Teiffel pleads guilty over Wangaratta crash that killed Ryan Suggate and Denver Teiffel

Family have told a court of their grief after a racing car enthusiast talked up his high-powered Jeep in the days before his driving killed his brother and cousin.

Rory Teiffel (pictured) caused the death of his brother Denver and cousin Ryan Suggate after crashing his Jeep Grand Cherokee on Greta Rd. Picture: Border Mail/Supplied

Family have told a court of their grief after a racing car enthusiast talked up his high-powered Jeep in the days before his driving at more than 220km/h killed his brother and cousin.

Rory Teiffel, 25, pleaded guilty in the County Court on Friday to two charges of culpable driving causing death and having a blood concentration above the prescribed amount within three hours of driving a motor vehicle.

He was speeding along Greta Rd in Wangaratta on April 9, 2023 when he lost control at a bend, smashing his Jeep against two trees before coming to a rest on its roof.

His cousin and front seat passenger Ryan Suggate, 26, died at the scene while Teiffel’s 16-year-old brother Denver succumbed to his injuries at the Royal Melbourne Hospital six days later.

In her impassioned victim impact statement, Ryan Suggate’s mother Kerrie said her heart was broken for her whole family as they would never really get over losing someone whose joy in life was to make other people happy.

Kerrie Suggate said from the time he could get behind the wheel, Ryan insisted it was his responsibility to do all the driving whenever they were out as a family and he even paid for petrol.

“Often when out with friends, he’d be the designated driver, making sure everyone got home safe even if it meant them leaving their car and driving them home,” she said.

“He truly loved everyone he met and they loved him. His life here was cut far too short. And I am sure if this tragedy hadn’t taken place, he would be married now and have made a great husband and father.

“He was so needed for our family to function. It’s like I’ve lost another husband. We love you Ryan, and we’ll miss you always.”

Police laid charges of culpable driving causing death against Rory Teiffel after he crashed his Jeep and caused the death of his brother and cousin.

Mr Suggate’s brother Arron Suggate survived the crash and read out his victim impact statement in court on Friday.

“Our lives will never be filled. It has been and continues to be a very solitary time living at home, not having the companionship of someone who’ll always be there to go out with him on weekends.

“It’s through God’s wonder of mercy that I’ve only suffered minor injuries from a collision that very nearly killed us all. It’s through true Christian spirit that I forgive you because that’s what Jesus would do,” he told Teiffel.

Prosecutor John Dickie told the court the Suggate brothers from Beaconsfield and their sister spent the 2023 Easter long weekend with the Teiffels at Wangaratta.

He said Rory Teiffel spoke to his cousins and others about his high-performance Jeep with eight gears and expressed pride over it.

“He said a long stretch of road was required. It was an all-wheel-drive characterised as a high-powered V8 vehicle, had street-racing technology which enabled acceleration from zero to 100km/h in about 4.9 seconds,” Mr Dickie said.

Rory Teiffel was remanded in custody for sentencing on August 7.