Sonya Wiffen sentenced to four months after Humpty Doo crash that killed Sally Steers

A grandmother of two has been sentenced after five seconds of inattention on the road resulted in the death of family matriarch Sally Steers.

Five seconds of inattention on the road resulting in the death of a Humpty Doo mother has cost a grandmother four months of her life behind bars.

Sonya Wiffen, 52, was sentenced to a four-month jail term after she drove into the back of Sally Steers’ small sedan, launching the vehicle into the path of incoming traffic on May 29, 2021.

Acting Justice Anthony Graham sentenced Wiffen to a total of 16 months, though the latter 12 months were suspended, after a Darwin Supreme Court jury found her guilty.

Her licence was also suspended for five years.

Ms Steers, 58, who was well-loved and regarded as a matriarch by her family, was waiting to turn on the Arnhem Hwy as she made her way to her partner’s home in Humpty Doo.

Sonya Wiffen was sentenced to four months in jail after she was found guilty of causing the death of Sally Steers.

Wiffen was in a Toyota HiLux and travelled 117m at full speed without making an effort to hit the brakes until 0.35 of a second before impact.

By then it was too late and her car rammed into the smaller sedan, sending it into oncoming traffic.

Ms Steers and her two dogs died at the scene with efforts to resuscitate, aided by Wiffen, failing.

In sentencing, Acting Justice Graham considered Wiffen’s position as primary caregiver to her elderly and unwell parents as well as her 14-year-old daughter.

The court heard her mother had dementia and her father suffers from Parkinson’s, and Wiffen was the main support for both with her siblings often busy at work.

Her previous good character, PTSD suffered as a result of a former partner and remorse following the crash were also taken into account.

“She has worked hard all her life in demanding, and sometimes physically demanding, jobs,” Acting Justice Graham said.

“Her previous good character speaks for itself, her work history is exemplary and she has also been a foster carer and volunteer firefighter.

“I accept she was remorseful and she wrote a whole-hearted letter of apology to Ms Steers’ family after the incident.”

Sally Steers died at the scene of the Humpty Doo crash in 2021. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Acting Justice Graham described the match-up of cars as a “lion and lamb” situation.

He said Ms Steers’ sedan did not stand a chance when it was bumped by the bigger HiLux driven by Wiffen.

And while he did not describe Wiffen’s driving as dangerous, he said the lapse of concentration for whatever reason, and however momentary, had severe consequences.

“This was not mad cap driving, this was a failure to keep a look-out and a momentary casual lack of attention,” he said.

“But that was enough to kill a woman, injure a young man and traumatise a group of bystanders and police officers.

“This incident resulted simply from a failure to take care for a few seconds, however a momentary lapse of concentration can change people’s lives.

“In this case a woman has died and sentiments expressed about her make clear she was a very fine person and a valued member of the community.”

Outside court, defence lawyer John Lawrence refused to speak on the case saying, “I don’t talk to the media about cases.”

Killer driver brought to tears as she awaits sentencing

Sentencing for the woman responsible for the road death of Sally Steers will depend heavily on her role as the primary caregiver for her elderly and unwell parents.

Sonya Wiffen, 51, was found guilty of driving causing death after she drove into the back of Ms Steers’ car at 80km/h causing a collision with oncoming traffic on May 29 2021.

Humpty Doo mother Ms Steers was feathering the brakes as she waited to turn on the Arnhem Hwy while Wiffen travelled 117m at full speed for five seconds without making a move to stop until the final moment.

Ms Steers, 58, died at the scene with Wiffen trying to help in resuscitation efforts by cradling the victim’s head in her lap.

In sentencing submissions defence lawyer John Lawrence SC argued against a jail term stating the hardship to family, particularly Wiffen’s parents, would be exceptional if she were to serve time.

Sonya Wiffen was found guilty of causing the death of Humpty Doo mother Sally Steers.

The single mother is the primary caregiver for her elderly parents, who both have serious illnesses, as well as her 14-year-old daughter

“Her mother suffers from dementia, which she has been suffering for the past two to three years and is getting worse,” Mr Lawrence said.

“Her father is sadly in a very similar situation with Parkinson’s dementia, and is in hospital at the moment with a broken hip.”

Wiffen was brought to tears in the dock as her lawyer described her parents’ conditions.

She was said to live next door to her parents and provides them care including washing and cooking in the second half of the day, while a care service is contracted for the first half.

Mr Lawrence said it was a role her three siblings were unable to fill due to their demanding jobs.

“Because of Sonya’s situation in the family with her busy siblings, she picks up the slack during the week and on the weekend as well,” he said.

“She’ll go to the hospital to visit her father and then goes home to do what’s required for her mother including washing, cleaning, laundry and personal hygiene.”

“Without her support each afternoon and evening they will suffer and be unable to spend their final years at home.

“When elderly people have these types of conditions and are forced to go into these homes it accelerates their decline.

“Because they’re much more comfortable in their normal environment with their normal people, it’s why this family have the care service for half a day and then Sonya for the next half.”

Humpty Doo resident Sally Steers died in a tragic car crash just metres away from her partner's property. Picture: Supplied

Crown prosecutor Stephen Robson SC said while family hardship would come as a result of imprisonment he found it hard to believe someone else couldn’t help Wiffen’s parents.

“Why can’t the other siblings come to some arrangement to ensure their elderly and ill parents are looked after?,” Mr Robson said.

“It simply beggars belief the parents would be left without care and support if the offender was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

“The child here is not a young child, she is not a baby, she would be developing a degree of autonomy as a teenager and there are other members of the family to ensure she is looked after.”

He also called into question Wiffen’s actions in the lead-up to the crash saying she would have seen Ms Steers’ vehicle had she been watching the road.

“She had more than 100m and more than five seconds in broad daylight, she can’t have been looking,” he said.

“Had she been looking in the lead up to the incident she would have seen the deceased’s vehicle on the road.

“She moved her foot onto the brake 0.35 seconds before the incident.”

Wiffen will return to the Darwin Supreme Court on Thursday for sentencing.