Devoted dad died unnecessarily in Launceston crash, coroner finds

A Tasmanian coroner has found devoted father Adrian David Tudor suffered “unsurvivable” chest injuries after his car was struck by a speeding youth.

A DEVOTED Launceston husband and father was on his way home from working night shift when young disqualified driver Dylan Lee made a fatal decision to run a red light.

Lee, 22, was driving at almost twice the 60km/h speed limit through Wellington Street, revving heavily, when he slammed into a white Hyundai station wagon during September 2018.

The life of 48-year-old Adrian Tudor was taken unnecessarily in a Launceston car crash, a coroner has found, with the father-of-two suffering “unsurvivable” chest injuries. Picture: Facebook

The youth fled the scene, rendering no assistance to either his badly injured passenger or the station wagon driver, who had to be cut from the wreckage of his car.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate Adrian David Tudor, 48, after he was extracted from the crash scene, but the father-of-two was pronounced dead upon his arrival at Launceston General Hospital with “unsurvivable” chest injuries.

“Tragically, Mr Tudor died solely as the result of the irresponsible and dangerous driving of Mr Lee,” Coroner Olivia McTaggart said in her newly-published findings.

She said the “hardworking and contributing member of the community” was driving home from his job as Coles night shift manager when his life was taken unnecessarily.

READ MORE NEWS:

TASMANIAN NURSE ON THE FRONT LINE IN BRITAIN

CHARITIES FORCED TO COME UP WITH NEW WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS

BOTANICAL GARDENS TO REOPEN TO THE PUBLIC

WHEN WILL TASMANIAN SCHOOLS GO BACK

Lee was jailed in June last year for six years, with a non-parole period of three-and-a-half, after pleading guilty to manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm.

At the time, Supreme Court judge Robert Pearce noted Lee was discovered by police hiding near a refuse bin with spinal injuries after his mother notified authorities.

“His Honour commented that Mr Lee had shown a complete disregard for the law and for authority and that his driving at an extreme speed was likely due to excitement or as a demonstration of daring or bravado,” Ms McTaggart said.

“His Honour acknowledged that no sentence could undo the harm caused.”

Ms McTaggart said Mr Tudor had been driving at 47km/h when the force of Lee’s car crashing into his driver’s side door pushed his vehicle some 50m beyond the Frederick Street intersection.

He suffered a fatal lacerated aorta along with a lacerated lung and diaphragm, with multiple rib fractures.