Diesel Handley fronts court for culpable driving causing death

A grieving family has lashed out at the sentence imposed on an unlicensed driver who ran a red light and killed a “dearly loved son and brother”.

Diesel Handley was on bail, unlicensed and driving an unregistered car when he ran a red light, killing motorcyclist Darrell Chepseba at the intersection of Middleborough Road/Burwood Highway in Burwood East.

A grieving family has described an eight-year sentence imposed on a teenager who ran a red light and killed their loved one as “very light”.

Diesel Handley, then aged 18, was unlicensed and driving an unregistered car when he crashed into and killed motorcyclist Darrell Chepseba at the intersection of Middleborough Rd and Burwood Highway on January 6, 2023.

Mr Chepseba, 19, a disability support worker from Nunawading, was thrown from the motorbike, over the roof of Handley’s car and came to a rest adjacent to a traffic light pole on a median strip between the lanes. The injured motorcyclist was attended to by paramedics but died at the scene.

Handley was sentenced to six years’ jail by the County Court on Friday on a single charge of culpable driving causing death. He will have to serve at least three years before being eligible for parole.

Darrell Chepseba, 19, was killed when the driver of a car ran a red light and collided with his motorbike in Burwood East.

Judge Claire Quin said the registration for the 2000 Holden V6 Commodore sedan Handley was driving was cancelled in November 2019. He had, however, obtained a single day registration permit which authorized the driving of the car on the day of the crash. Handley lost his learner permit for excessive speeding just three days before the crash and was on bail for other matters.

Judge Quin said Handley’s blood following the crash contained traces of cannabis which indicated past use.

“The offending occurred on a large, busy highway. The risk to other road users was high. As a consequence of your gross negligence, a family has lost a young son and brother.”

“This offending was aggravated by you driving an unworthy car and having cannabis in your system,” she said.

Darrell Chepseba, 19, had been in Melbourne less than two years when he was killed in a horrific road crash.

Judge Quin said Handley’s behavior, in part, could be attributed to his deeply dysfunctional and traumatic family environment.

She said the impact of Mr Chepseba’s death has had a huge impact on all aspects of his family’s lives.

His mother Rose Chepseba moved to Melbourne from Kenya about eight years ago and Darrell and his sister arrived later.

Mr Chepseba had only been in Melbourne for about 15 months when he died.

Darrell Chepseba's mother Rose (in red), step father Russell Davidson, second from left, and other family members outside the County Court in Melbourne following the sentencing.

Speaking outside court after the sentencing, his step father Russell Davidson said a lighter sentence for Handley was “not good”.

“We think the sentence is very light in all the circumstances because he’s taken a young man’s life. He should have got at least eight or 10 years because he’s got no chance (of rehabilitation) unless he gets proper guidance.

“But then, finally it’s going to be up to him, if this has been a big enough shock, the lightbulb moment for him to change his life.