Ha Thi Le sentenced for fatal Bruce Highway crash at Childers

A woman who left the country after she killed a motorcyclist in a crash has been sentenced in court, while the rider’s family – gathered in the gallery from across the country – were finally brought closure.

Ha Thi Le was sentence in the Southport Magistrate Court on February 25, after she killed Matthew Alder in a crash at Childers in January 2023.

A woman who left the country after she killed a motorbike rider in a tragic crash has been sentenced more than two years after the rider’s family lost an integral pillar of their lives.

40-year-old Ha Thi Le pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without due care and attention causing death in the Southport Magistrate Court on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

She was charged after she killed motorcyclist Matthew Alder in a crash at Childers in the Wide Bay region of Queensland on January 4, 2023.

On that day, Le made a right turn on the Bruce Highway when it was not safe to do so, hitting Mr Alder who was travelling in the opposite direction.

Motorcyclist Matthew Alder was killed in a crash at Childers on January 4, 2023. Picture: File.

The court’s gallery was filled with family members who had travelled from across Australia to see the sentencing, finally bringing them closure after more than two years.

Police prosecutor Rodney Keyte urged Magistrate Joan White to consider that Le left Australia before police charged her, leaving Mr Alder’s family in limbo and stalling the progression of the matter.

Mr Keyte said Le returned to Vietnam just a few months after the crash, and did not notify police of her return in September of 2024.

“All this time she’s well aware she’s caused the death of a person and police want to speak with her,” he said.

Defence lawyer Brooke Winter told the court Le made contact with the investigators before she left the jurisdiction.

“It was never the intention of the defendant to avoid the police in any way shape or form,” Mr Winter said.

Matthew Alder was killed in a horror Bruce Highway crash at Childers.

He said Le went to Vietnam to be with her family while she had a baby, and also as her sister had been diagnosed with cancer.

“These types of cases are tragic,” Mr Winter said.

“They are tragic for the community, they are tragic for the deceased’s family, tragic for the emergency services, they are tragic for the person that’s charged with these offences.

“There are no winners.”

Mr Winter said Le has always been an exemplary member of society, with no criminal history and is a qualified accountant.

He also urged Magistrate White to consider nothing else contributed to the crash beyond a momentary inattention.

“There were no other circumstances of aggravation in relation to the matter – there were no drugs, there was no alcohol, no fatigue, no speed, no hooning, the defendant had a valid drivers licence at the time, the vehicle she was driving was not defective.”

Mr Winter said Le had been haunted by the day of the accident and hadn’t been able to drive a car since.

Ha Thi Le leaving Southport Courthouse on February 25, 2025. Picture: Jacklyn O'Brien.

Magistrate White said in her view, Le would not have made the turn if she had seen Mr Alder, but her mistake had grave consequences.

“It’s certainly not accepted that you were cooperative in any way with police, but for the fact you eventually came back to Australia,” Ms White said.

Le was sentenced to 120 hours of community service, to be completed within 12 months. During that time she would also be on probation.

No conviction was recorded.

Outside the Southport Magistrates Court, Mr Alder’s sister, Jenny Alder told the this masthead the family was all “very upset” with the outcome.

“He did all the right things and he still was killed,” Ms Alder said.

“(His death) had a profound impact on us as a family and his wife.”

Ms Alder said she understood the crash was an accident – that Le had not intended to hit her brother – but the protraction of the matter was hurtful.

“People make mistakes and people have accidents, you know … but to run away and not come back for all this time and drag it out for two years is what really impacted us the most.”

She said family members had gathered from Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast to witness the case come to a close after more than two years, but they were not happy with the result.

Originally published as Ha Thi Le sentenced for fatal Bruce Highway crash at Childers