Tasmania Police charge woman, 20, after catastrophic Sidmouth harness racing crash

A young woman has been charged with serious traffic offences after a car crash that killed four horses after an Elwick harness race earlier this year. Latest

Ben Yole

A young woman has been charged with serious traffic offences after a car crash that killed four horses after an Elwick harness race earlier this year.

Five young people aged 14 to 21 were also injured in the serious crash on the Batman Highway, Sidmouth, on January 30 this year.

Several of the youths in the car worked for trainer Ben Yole, who runs the state’s biggest harness racing stables at Sidmouth.

All four horses, which were being towed by a utility on a float, died at the scene.

On Thursday, Tasmania Police announced a 20-year-old woman had been charged with two counts of causing grievous bodily harm by negligent driving.

She has also been charged with three counts of failing to ensure passengers wore seat belts and driving without due care and attention.

Finally, the woman has been charged with using a vehicle in contravention of vehicle standards relating to requirements for brakes on a trailer.

She will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.

Harness racing teens lodge legal bid after tragic car crash

August 15: Two teenagers who were injured in a serious car crash that killed four horses after an Elwick harness race meet have lodged a legal fight for compensation.

Reinsman Cody Crossland, 19, and horse handler trainee Maree Wakefield, 16, were asleep when the crash occurred at Rowella, in the state’s north, in the early hours of January 30.

They and two other young people were injured, along with a 14-year-old who was “shaken up”.

The four horses being towed in a float all died at the scene.

According to a GoFundMe page, top reinswoman Bronte Miller, 18, suffered a dislocated and broken hip, a fractured eye and loss of vision in one eye.

The page also says Mr Crossland suffered several broken ribs, a laceration to his face that required surgery, a broken shoulder blade and internal injuries.

Cody Crossland. Picture: Facebook

Ms Wakefield was said to have suffered a “significant” laceration to the face, while Ms Crossland’s girlfriend apparently suffered “bruising, aches and pains”.

According to two new decisions published by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Mr Crossland was seriously injured in the crash – but his claim to the Motor Accidents Insurance Board was refused.

Likewise with Ms Wakefield, the board said Mr Crossland was not entitled to benefits under legislation because his injuries occurred in the course of his employment.

The board said the pair was employed by trainer Ben Yole, who runs the state’s biggest harness racing stables at Sidmouth.

Maree Wakefield.

Mr Crossland has argued before the tribunal that on the day in question, he was working for Tasracing, not Mr Yole, and had not been paid for his travel to and from Elwick Racecourse.

Ms Wakefield has also told the tribunal she was working as a volunteer at the Elwick race, and was not paid by Mr Yole either during the meet or for her travel to and from Hobart.

Both young people claimed they were in the car simply because they were planning to stay at Mr Yole’s Beauty Point property that night, not because they were working for him at the time.

The tribunal said it was not in dispute that Mr Crossland was paid independently by Tasracing for races, and was employed by Mr Yole as a stablehand.

It has requested Mr Yole provide a number of documents so it can determine whether the two young people were in the course of their employment when the crash occurred.

In a separate matter earlier this year, Mr Yole made headlines over allegations – which he strenuously denies – of poor animal welfare and race fixing.

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