‘I don’t remember’: Melissa Oates grilled at inquest into Huon Valley death of boyfriend, Jari Wise

“I didn’t know if Jari had thrown something at my car or if it was an animal.” A Huon Valley woman who struck her boyfriend dead with her car has undergone an intense grilling on the witness stand.

Jari Wise’s mother Faith Tkalac, right, and her supporters outside the inquest on Wednesday. Picture: Chris Kidd

A Huon Valley woman who struck her boyfriend dead with her car four years ago has undergone an intense grilling on the witness stand about whether she did so knowingly.

Melissa Oates, now 38, was never charged with causing the death of 26-year-old Jari Wise in the early hours of January 29, 2020.

A two-day inquest currently being held in Hobart aims to determine whether or not Mr Wise stepped in front of Oates’ car on the night in question, and whether he had a history of doing so.

On the night in question, the mother-of-four was drink driving, wasn’t wearing her glasses, and was speeding at 110km/h in a 50k/h zone on Wilmot Road.

The courts have previously heard there was a history of violence on both sides of the relationship, with both Oates and Mr Wise – who shared a child together – subject to a Police Family Violence Order, a type of restraining order.

Jari Wise and Melissa Oates began their relationship in 2015 after years of knowing each other in the Huon Valley.

On the night in question, the pair had argued after a night of drinking at friend Jessica Hosking’s house, with Mr Wise setting off on foot to the couple’s home at Lucaston before Oates drove into him at high speed.

The inquest previously heard there was no evidence Oates made any attempt to brake or swerve prior to the point of impact, or after.

On Wednesday, giving evidence from a remote witness room, Oates said her plan on the night in question was to collect Mr Wise and take him home, as they had plans to enjoy activities with the children the following day.

Coroner Simon Cooper heard the pair exchanged a number of phone calls and texts as Oates drove to find him, before she turned her silver Toyota van around and struck him.

“I heard a bang and like something hard had bit my car,” Oates told the coroner.

“I didn’t know if Jari had been along there and thrown something at my car or if it was an animal. I panicked and drove back to Jessica’s and she drove me back there.

“We saw stuff on the road and we hopped out of the car and that’s when we saw Jari.”

A photo of Oates’ seriously damaged car was shown to the court.

Lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi, who is acting for Mr Wise’s mother Faith Tkalac, said if Oates didn’t see Mr Wise before she hit him, then she “must accept” that she “could not say whether he stepped in front of the car or not”.

“I don’t remember,” Oates answered.

Mr Cangelosi repeated the question several times.

Melissa Oates at a previous court hearing.

“It’s a simple question, I’m going to ask you one more time to see whether you’re willing to answer it,” he said.

“No, I did not see Jari,” Oates replied.

“I didn’t see him so I couldn’t say.”

Mr Cangelosi said given the damage to the car, the bang Oates heard must have been “tremendous”, and questioned why she did not stop.

“I don’t know why I didn’t stop the car,” she said.

Oates said she didn’t remember whether the impact shook the car, didn’t remember whether she tried to brake or slow down, and didn’t remember how long it took between the time she turned the car and the collision.

Mr Cangelosi put it to Oates that she saw Mr Wise, drove past him, that she saw a message from him saying “please go back” and that she knew he was on Wilmot Road, before turning around.

“You drove towards him at 110km/h knowing there was a likelihood you would strike him,” the lawyer said.

“No, that’s not the case at all,” Oates replied.

Mr Cangelosi said one witness claimed that in January 2020, Oates had revved her engine and chased Mr Wise in a Hyundai Getz in Lynch Avenue, Huonville, while he was on foot.

“You saw Jari running down the footpath, and you yelled out words to the effect of “black c..t”,” he said.

“No, I don’t believe I would have said that,” Oates replied.

“I don’t recall that ever happening.”

Jari Wise’s mother Faith Tkalac before the inquest on Wednesday. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Cangelosi also said after the fatal incident, two witnesses, neighbours of Ms Hosking, had signed statutory declarations that Oates had returned to her friend’s house and made comments like “look at what he’s f…ing done to my car”, “I hit the c..t” and “he’s f…ed my car”.

“I didn’t say it because I didn’t know that I’d hit Jari,” Oates replied.

“I didn’t say those things.”

Oates also said she didn’t remember a previous occasion in which she allegedly set fire to Mr Wise’s shoe, or held a knife close to his body while cutting his clothes.

The Mercury previously reported that Oates received a common assault conviction over this incident.

She also said she didn’t “really remember” a previous incident, about nine years ago, in which Mr Wise allegedly “jumped back” from her car.

The inquest has now adjourned, with Mr Cooper to deliver his findings at a future date.

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