Canberra man jailed for role in crash that killed 15yo passenger
Jack Summerrell-Jenkins, 21, was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court to 28 months in jail after pleading guilty to six charges including aggravated dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and travelling in stolen cars.
The court heard the stolen car he was a passenger in hit a barrier, rolled several times and landed on its roof just outside the Lodge — the official residence of the prime minister.
A 15-year-old boy, who was also a passenger, was rushed to hospital and died soon afterwards.
Summerrell-Jenkins and another 15-year-old boy who was allegedly driving at the time fled, escaping in a second car.
After a four-month investigation, police charged three people, including the alleged driver who was charged with manslaughter.
His case is still in the ACT Children's Court.
Summerrell-Jenkins and a third man who was driving the getaway car were also charged.
During Summerrell-Jenkins's sentencing, the court heard the group had been driving at high speed all over Canberra.
That included times when Summerrell-Jenkins was behind the wheel.
But police efforts to stop them failed.
During the sentence hearing, Summerrell-Jenkins's mother told the court his upbringing had been hard, and he cried about what happened, telling her: "I wish I could turn back time. I hate myself for what I have done."
His lawyer said there was evidence Summerrell-Jenkins has been trying to overcome his drug addictions in jail, and his pre-sentence report was promising.
But the prosecution said Summerrell-Jenkins's conduct showed nothing but contempt for the rules of the road, adding jail was the only option in sentencing.
Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker gave an account of how the car was recorded travelling at speeds well above the speed limits, including 130 kilometres an hour in a residential zone.
"Clearly the conduct involved … was inherently dangerous," Chief Magistrate Walker said.
Chief Magistrate Walker acknowledged Summerrell-Jenkins had little memory of the events because he had been taking drugs at the time.
But she said that "this offender continues to be a danger to the community".
Addressing Summerrell-Jenkins directly as she sentenced him to jail, Chief Magistrate Walker urged him to "try to use this time to get yourself as straight as possible".
With time served, Summerrell-Jenkins will be eligible for parole in November.
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