Storm Cecilia Tientjes asks for shortest possible prison stint after causing Copping road death

A young woman who caused a Good Friday road tragedy that claimed the life of a tourist has reportedly said she “feels sick over what she’s done”. Here’s when she will be sentenced.

Storm Cecilia Tientjes. Picture: Instagram

A young woman who caused a Good Friday road tragedy that claimed the life of a tourist has reportedly said she “feels sick over what she’s done”.

Storm Cecilia Tientjes, 27, appeared in the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Friday as her lawyer argued for reasons to impose as short a prison sentence as possible.

Earlier this month, Tientjes claimed full responsibility for the 2023 collision that killed 29-year-old tourist Shadari Athrey, after veering onto the wrong side of the Arthur Highway at Copping.

Tientjes, who was high on drugs and sleep-deprived at the time, has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death plus 10 other related charges, including reckless driving, and driving with cannabis and methamphetamine in her blood.

On Friday, her lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi said Tientjes – who is in custody – understood she would be jailed for her crimes.

“She understands that what she has done is something terrible and that she will receive a significant sentence for it,” he said.

“She has indicated to me that she feels sick over what she’s done.”

Mr Cangelosi also described Tientjes’ childhood and background, saying she had a history of homelessness since the age of three, had suffered domestic abuse and sexual assault, and had a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and complex post traumatic stress disorder.

He said she was homeless again at the time of the Copping accident, had not slept in a bed for some time, and was “exhausted”.

“This is a person who has the drive to want to be well, she has the intelligence to want to be well,” Mr Cangelosi said.

After noting she wished to undertake a law degree upon her eventual release from prison, Mr Cangelosi also asked Justice Helen Wood for as short a non-parole period as possible.

Tientjes will be sentenced on August 13.

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