Third person charged over string of offences before crash killed grandmother
By Cloe Read
A third person has been charged as police investigate the death of Rosemary Franzidis, who was killed when an allegedly stolen Audi driven by a teenager smashed into her car.
The death of 69-year-old Franzidis at Murrumba Downs on Thursday morning came after a series of car thefts and attempted robberies at gunpoint in the hours before the crash.
Three people have been arrested and charged with offences over those incidents, including a 21-year-old Annerley man, who was arrested on Monday.
Rosemary Franzidis was remembered by her family for her kindness and devotion.
Police alleged the group first stole a Holden Barina from Northgate, then drove it through suburbs north of Brisbane, threatening women at gunpoint, before stealing the blue Audi from Dohles Rocks Road at Griffin.
That Audi was later involved in the crash that killed Franzidis.
The 21-year-old has been charged with two counts of attempted robbery whilst in company and armed, one count of robbery in company whilst armed, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The teenager was facing several offences, including a charge of manslaughter, while a 35-year-old Caboolture woman arrested on Sunday, later named as Rachael Anne Collyer, was charged with armed robbery and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The teenager’s grandmother, who spoke to media at the weekend, told 4BC Radio on Tuesday morning her grandson previously had been convicted of assaulting an elderly man.
The teenager then spent two weeks in juvenile detention, she said. When asked how bad the assault was, the grandmother answered: “very significant”.
This masthead has been unable to verify the grandmother’s claims because of legal restrictions on reporting matters related to Child Safety and Children’s Court.
She said the boy had “everything and more”, including support from the government and private psychologists.
“He was just on a path of self-destruction,” she told 4BC.
“He wanted to do what he wanted to do. The moment he found out at 14 that he did not have to return into the loving arms of myself, and the home, that was it. It exacerbated and it did so so quickly.”
She said her focus now was to ensure Franzidis’ death was not in vain.
“I know I can’t stop it, but God, I’m going to do my best ... to make a massive dent in this and get these judges to listen,” she said.
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