Leighton Alis Charlton Vlietstra sentenced for causing T-bone crash

A truck driver suffered “catastrophic open wounds” in a T-bone crash after a learner driver ran a red light through a highway intersection.

A street view of the intersection on the Capricorn Highway and Old Gracemere Road, Fairy Bower, near Rockhampton.

A truck driver suffered “catastrophic open wounds” in a T-bone crash after a learner driver ran a red light through a highway intersection.

The learner driver, Leighton Alis Charlton Vlietstra, was evading police who had tried to pull her over at a random breath test site on Old Gracemere Rd at Fairy Bower on April 6, 2023.

Vlietstra, 19, then ran a red light through the Capricorn Highway intersection with the truck T-boning her vehicle.

Her male passenger sustained minor injuries.

Crown prosecutor Matthew Sutton said Vlietstra accelerated past the RBT that afternoon and a police pursuit commenced.

He said Vlietstra did not flee after the crash “but immediately began apologising, taking responsibility for the crash”.

Mr Sutton said the truck driver suffered significant injuries including the partial severing of the sole of his right foot.

“As a result, he had to undergo multiple surgeries and a skin graft,” he said.

Mr Sutton said the victim struggles with pain, especially when walking, and cannot run anymore.

Judge Michael Byrne said he suspected one of the reasons Vlietstra didn’t want to stop could have been due to the small amount of marijuana police found in the vehicle.

Vlietstra was not charged in relation to the drugs.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client’s decisions that day where “perhaps borne from a level of immaturity”, along with being a learner driver without a required licence supervisor in the car with her and panicking.

“She has made a foolish and immature, deliberate and dangerous decision on this occasion,” she said.

Ms Willey said her client has battled with mental health issues for many years, diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder prior to the crash with the updated diagnosis afterwards being complex PTSD.

She said Vlietstra’s grandfather died in November 2023 and she was supported in court by her grandmother.

Ms Willey provided the court with medical documents, a reference letter from Vlietstra’s employer and a letter of apology written by her client to be provided to the victim.

Judge Byrne described Vlietstra’s decisions that day as “naive and immature” and “quite frankly, stupid”.

He said the results were that the victim sustained “catastrophic open wounds”, staying in hospital for four weeks, and undergoing five surgeries.

“He bears life long scars,” Judge Byrne said.

He said he accepted Vlietstra’s mental health issues “may have fed” her “stupid and immature decision”.

Judge Byrne said the medical documents outlined Vlietstra’s complex needs and intensive assistance.

Vlietstra pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to two years prison, wholly suspended and operational for three years.

She was also disqualified from driving for two years.

The court heard she had been dealt with for failing to stop at the RBT by way of an infringement notice, costing her $832.

Originally published as Leighton Alis Charlton Vlietstra sentenced for causing T-bone crash