Latest news with #RachelSecker
ABC News
15-05-2025
- ABC News
Road rage driver jailed for ramming motorcyclist at Lonsdale
A driver who rammed a motorcyclist into a Stobie pole during a road rage incident has been jailed for the "deliberate, aggressive and dangerous" act. Matthew James Hollitt, 42, of Morphett Vale has been sentenced in Adelaide's District Court after pleading guilty to a charge of causing serious harm by dangerous driving. Hollitt rammed into motorcyclist Rachel Secker at a Lonsdale roundabout on January 2, 2023. Judge Kristopher Handshin said a sequence of events, which was captured on Hollitt's dashcam, began after Ms Secker overtook Hollitt on the Southern Expressway. The pair later took the same exit. The judge said Hollitt was later seen tailgating Ms Secker, and had performed an overtaking manoeuvre before slowing down in front of her, in a move the judge described as "hyper-aggressive and simply unnecessary". "Even if, as you thought, Ms Secker had deliberately slowed her speed of travel in a provocative manner, your manoeuvre was completely unwarranted," Judge Handshin said. He said within a few seconds, Ms Secker struck Hollitt's car with her hand or arm in retaliation as she overtook him. Hollitt then followed her onto the wrong side of the road before colliding with the rear of her motorbike on the roundabout. He said Ms Secker was then propelled across the roundabout and crushed between Hollitt's car and a Stobie pole, suffering several "confronting" injuries including fractures and burns which required several surgeries. "She sustained terrible injuries and, frankly, is extraordinarily lucky to be alive," Judge Handshin said. He said Ms Secker spent about two months in hospital and required ongoing rehabilitation. At a previous court hearing, Ms Secker read aloud her victim impact statement and told the court the "traumatic event" had "profoundly impacted" her psychological and emotional wellbeing. "My future ambitions, particularly in areas related to motorcycling and racing, have simply been derailed and now I experience trauma responses to traffic, driving and motorcycle use," she told the court. Outside court after the sentence, Ms Secker said she was "very happy with the justice system". Her mother, Carol Fidge, said she was relieved to still have her daughter, and that it was "nice that we got the outcome that we wanted". She urged all drivers to be considerate on the road. In sentencing, Judge Handshin said Hollitt had since taken responsibility for his actions, which he described as "very dangerous", and had written an apology. "Your dangerous driving came about because of what you perceived to be Ms Secker's provocative conduct," he said. "There is an overwhelming need to ensure that as a community of motorists, we appreciate that deliberately dangerous driving — even if impulsive, but which is productive of terrible consequences — will be met with condign punishment." He said the dashcam captured Hollitt making disparaging remarks about the way Ms Secker was riding, and that Hollitt later commented to bystanders that Ms Secker "deserved it". The court heard Hollitt had autism and suffered PTSD after witnessing a fatal crash when he was 19, which impacted his views of "bad driving". The judge said Hollitt had also "endured a great deal of grief" throughout his life. After accounting for his plea, Judge Handshin jailed Hollitt for two years, eight months and 13 days, and set a non-parole period of 15 months.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Aussie drivers warned over 'unacceptable' act after young woman's horrific injuries
Aussie motorists are being urged to be vigilant and respectful of other road users – even if they're on just two wheels. Close to eighty motorcyclists hit the road on Sunday to protest against aggressive drivers, taking a powerful stand in solidarity with a young woman who suffered traumatic injuries in an alleged road rage incident when a driver targeted her motorbike. Rachel Secker was back on her beloved motorcycle for the 'Ride Against Road Rage' event in Adelaide yesterday. But every time she throws the leg over, she is haunted by the incident that took place two years ago when she was knocked off her bike, completely decimating one of her legs. "Even though I love riding, it's put a bit of a dampener on it for me," the 23-year-old said. "Every time I get on the bike, it's like ... Is this going to be the last ride?" Speaking to 7News, she said she had to have her right leg completely rebuilt by doctors and "stoped counting after 20 surgeries" following the disturbing incident. 🚘 Aussie drivers 'fed up' after little-known act sparks $410 fine warning 😤 Driver rages over $387 fine issued after six-second moment 📸 Fears of 'mistakes' with new cameras targeting Aussie drivers Others who joined the ride said they have all experienced road rage from drivers in cars, with some lamenting that it happens on a "daily basis". "Many of us have experienced road rage to the point of fearing for personal safety. This behaviour needs to be publicly declared unacceptable," event organisers said. Motorcyclist Bronwyn Ridge who organised the ride told Yahoo that aggressive driving "is an ongoing theme within the motorcycle community". "We generally experience poor driving, distracted drivers looking at their phones ... We know what it's like to be tailgated, for cars to change lanes without looking. "There's people who don't understand that lane filtering is legal, and sometimes they will try and block us," she said. Even the event yesterday wasn't without such an incident, despite the group's strength in numbers. "We had a rider yesterday on the ride when a car came through a giveaway sign without stopping, right in front a rider fresh off her Ls," Bronwyn said. It comes as motorcycle deaths hit an alarming new high on the country's roads last year. Motorcyclist fatalities increased from 252 in 2023 to 278 in 2024 – a rise of 10.3 per cent – making last year the deadliest calendar year for motorbike riders since 1989. In total, 1,300 people died on Australian roads in 2024 — up from 1,258 in 2023, according to research conducted by the federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE). The motorist responsible for Rachel's injuries has pleaded guilty to running her down and will be sentenced tomorrow. "She'll face him for the first time when she reads her victim impact statement in court," Bronwyn told Yahoo. "He really went out of his way to ram a car into a motorcycle ... We just hope the crime is treated seriously." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
