Kyaharlem Hazard charged with manslaughter over crash death of Heidi Riding

Police will allege the 19-year-old man was driving a stolen Commodore at high speed when he lost control and hit a tree, killing his passenger Heidi Riding instantly.

The man accused of causing a fatal crash that killed Heidi Riding has been remanded in custody after his matters were briefly mentioned in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Kyaharlem Hazard, 19, is charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving and manslaughter.

Kyaharlem Hazard, 19, is charged with manslaughter arising from a crash that killed Heidi Riding on July 14.

Police allege Mr Hazard was behind the wheel of a stolen Holden Commodore sedan when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree on Hursley Road in Newtown shortly after midnight on Friday, July 14.

Heidi Riding died after an allegedly stolen car crash at the intersection of Tor Street and Hursley Road, about 12am on July 14, 2023.

Mr Hazard suffered minor injuries while his passenger, Heidi Riding, 18, was thrown from the vehicle and died instantly.

Heidi’s death sent shockwaves through the community with her sister alleging her family was pushing for her to relocate to Tasmania after she was released from detention just a week before the crash.

The family wanted Heidi to move away from the trauma of losing her partner Jemmah Cole-Crighton in a similar type of crash in January.

Like Heidi, Jemmah was also a passenger in an allegedly stolen vehicle that crashed at speed.

It is understoond the Department of Corrections rejected the family’s application.

Police arrested Mr Hazard on Wednesday and he was held in custody overnight.

His lawyer, Claire Graham, appeared in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on his behalf while he was in the Toowoomba Watchhouse.

She asked for an adjournment and for a full brief of evidence.

There was no application for bail and the matter was adjourned for committal mention on September 7.