Master Carr and Jaylen
Deceased
Master Carr and Jaylen
Demographics
17y, male
Date of death
2018-04-21
Finding date
2020-08-27
Cause of death
multiple injuries due to motor vehicle collision
AI-generated summary
Two juvenile males, aged 17 and 16, died in a high-speed motor vehicle crash on the Gore Highway near Wyaga Creek on 21 April 2018. The vehicle, a stolen Holden Commodore, was traveling at approximately 170-175 km/h when it left the road. The 17-year-old driver, who tested positive for methylamphetamine and had ADHD, lost control at high speed without evidence of braking. He was inexperienced and driving a powerful vehicle at night on unfamiliar terrain. Key preventable failures included: absence of seatbelt restraint (seatbelts engaged but occupants sitting on them), inexperienced juvenile driving a stolen high-powered vehicle at extreme speed, methamphetamine use impairing judgment, police failure to identify and retrieve crucial flood camera footage that could have clarified events, and inadequate road safety features (no narrowing signage, steep culverts, rough surface conditions). The crash's immediate cause—why the vehicle left the road—could not be conclusively determined but likely involved speed, inexperience, drug impairment, road conditions, or animal avoidance.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- high speed (170-175 km/h in uncontrolled area)
- inexperienced juvenile driver
- driver under influence of methylamphetamine
- seatbelts engaged but occupants seated on top of them
- rough, uneven road surface
- road narrows without signage at creek crossing
- steep concrete culverts rather than graded shoulders
- driving at night on unfamiliar rural highway
- stolen high-powered vehicle
- driver had ADHD
Coroner's recommendations
- Review and improve mobile phone coverage at Wyaga Creek Rest Stop and install signage directing persons to nearest emergency service location
- Prioritise Commonwealth funding for upgrading multiple Wyaga Creek crossings including the rest stop crossing
- Install signage indicating the road narrows through the Wyaga Creek crossing
- Widen the road at Wyaga Creek crossing
- Install emergency contact point at the crossing
- Review the speed limit applicable to Wyaga Creek crossings
- Amend Queensland Police Operational Procedure Manual in association with Transport and Main Roads to identify and keep updated all CCTV and camera monitoring locations, including flood cameras, in Queensland
- Develop memorandum of understanding or communications between QPS and TMR to assist and inform investigations of incidents on roads
- Transport and Main Roads review policies to require staff to document viewing of CCTV footage (date, time, location, duration, purpose) and retain footage for minimum 60 days for motor vehicle incidents involving ambulance transfer, and retain copies for fatalities
- Queensland Police review Operational Procedures Manual regarding deaths reported to coroner and coronial investigations, to develop, amend, incorporate and train police including Ethical Standards Command on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency regarding death, with consultation and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Queensland Police and Queensland Health conduct joint review of processes and procedures affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deceased and families, including coronial involvement, to improve communication and cultural sensitivity
- Coroners Court of Queensland administration conduct review of processes to lessen grief and improve family communication in culturally appropriate context
Full text
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