Qld fatal crashes with stolen cars: the cruellest form of deja vu

An innocent person is going about their business when their life is cut tragically short by a driver in a stolen car. It’s a sickening feeling of deja vu, writes Elizabeth Neil.

Stella Tan (top left) and Gypsy Satterley (bottom left) were both killed in Queensland crashes this year involving alleged stolen cars.

Deja vu is defined as the feeling of having already experienced a present situation.

It’s a feeling I’m having all too often after seeing yet another innocent person killed at the hands of a driver in an allegedly stolen car.

On Friday morning, exactly one week after 52-year-old aged care worker Stella Tan was killed in a crash which police claim involved a stolen car at Burnside on the Sunshine Coast, a 72-year-old woman has been killed after an allegedly stolen Holden Commodore crashed into her Suzuki Swift at Kippa Ring, north of Brisbane.

But before that, Gypsy Satterly, 25, Terry Bishop, 65, and Jessica Townley, 38, were killed in a horror triple-fatal crash involving an allegedly stolen car on the Bruce Hwy at Federal on July 21.

Stella Tan died after an allegedly stolen Mercedes (pictured) collided with her Nissan Micra at Burnside on September 15. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Other victims include Sheree Robertson, 52, Kelsie Davies, 17, and Michale Chandler, 29, who were killed in a crash at Maryborough in May involving an allegedly stolen car from Bundaberg.

Three people have been charged over the crashes: 26-year-old Caloundra West man Izac Kane Sefton-Bennett for the Burnside crash, 25-year-old Yandina man Rafferty Raymond Rolfe for the Federal triple-fatal crash, and a 13-year-old boy for the Maryborough crash.

A 27-year-old man has been arrested by police over the Kippa Ring crash, but has not yet been charged.

These eight innocent people have been killed in crashes with allegedly stolen cars in Queensland this year. And for what?

News of Ms Tan’s “senseless” death renewed calls for tougher action on crime, as exhausted residents begged for something to be done.

Gypsy Satterly, 25, Terry Bishop, 65, and Jessica Townley, 38, were killed in a horror triple-fatal crash involving an allegedly stolen car on the Bruce Hwy at Federal on July 21. Picture 9News

A state government spokesman said a bipartisan committee had been announced, chaired by independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton, to address the growing crime issue.

They said new laws were also passed in 2023 to increase the maximum penalty for unlawful use of a motor vehicle from 10 years in prison to 12; but offenders could face 14 years if they stole the car at night, if they were armed or used violence, were with other people or had damaged property.

Legislation is one thing, but we are yet to see its impact.

The stories are all the same: they were just out doing their business when their lives were cut short.

These people were someone’s family member, friend, colleague.

They did not deserve to die.

The Maryborough triple fatal happened five months ago and we now have these two recent tragedies.

How many more of these heinous crimes have to be committed before we see tangible changes?

Originally published as Qld fatal crashes with stolen cars: the cruellest form of deja vu