Daughter of family killed in Gold Coast crash wants tougher rules for Queensland drivers
>
Daughter’s lawsuit after family killed in horrific crash and NRL star’s mother charged with manslaughter
- A daughter who lost her mother and sister in a terror crash wants stricter rules
- Claudine Snow has called for mandatory jail time for drivers who evade police
- Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua allegedly crashed into his family’s car on the Gold Coast last year
The daughter of a woman who died after a black Mercedes crashed into her car has called for mandatory jail time for drivers fleeing from police.
Claudine Snow’s mother, Susan Zimmer, died in the gruesome accident after Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua allegedly crashed into her car in the Gold Coast outback last Friday.
The devastating impact on Bonogin killed everyone inside, including his sister Steffanie and his mother’s partner, Chris Fawcett.
Taufua, who is the mother of Broncos star Payne Haas, was charged with three counts of manslaughter and faces charges of dangerous driving, driving without a license and evading police.
Claudine Snow’s mother, Susan Zimmer (pictured together) died in the gruesome crash after Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua allegedly crashed into her car last month in the Gold Coast outback.
Broncos star Payne Haas’ mother, Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua (pictured left in 2019 and right Tuesday) is subject to wellness checks in jail after allegedly causing a car accident that killed to three
Detective Sergeant Major Mark Procter said police would allege that Taufua’s vehicle was driven in an extremely dangerous manner on the wrong side of the road at high speeds.
The tragedy has prompted Ms Snow to call for drastic changes to penalties for motorists trying to escape police in Queensland.
she told the mail there should be mandatory jail time for offenders, what might be called ‘Susan’s Law’ after her mother.
“There has to be a bigger deterrent for people to evade the police…Right now, people know that if they speed up, the police won’t chase them,” Snow said.
“The other side of the coin is that you don’t want the police to come after you and end up in a tragic accident anyway, but there has to be something better than the current system.
“If I could bring about any constructive change, I know Mom would be proud of me.”
The law could be similar to Skye’s Law in New South Wales after little Skye Sassine was killed in a car crash caused by a man running from the police.
Susan Zimmer, 70, and her daughter Steffanie, 35, (together above) were killed after Taufua allegedly crashed their silver Mercedes.
Retired physician Chris Fawcett, 79, (above) died during the car crash in Bonogin on Friday.
The devastating impact on Bonogin killed everyone inside, including his sister Steffanie and his mother’s partner, Chris Fawcett, but Taufua survived (pictured, aftermath of the crash)
NSW authorities made changes to the law after the 19-month-old boy died in the horrific 2009 crash, where offenders now face three to five years in prison.
Queensland penalizes such offenders with a maximum sentence of three years in prison, but a magistrate can fine them around $7,100.
Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said Queensland had the strictest laws in the state for police evaders.
“While the sentencing decision is an independent matter for the courts, Parliament has made it clear that this type of crime is the most serious,” he said.
Taufua (pictured) remains at the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Facility at “medium risk”, where she is checked on an hourly basis for her welfare.
Taufua remains at the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Facility at “medium risk”, where she is checked on an hourly basis for her well-being.
The Brisbane Broncos star’s mother, Payne Haas, was transported to the center from the Southport guard house on Wednesday, after being transferred from Gold Coast University Hospital on Tuesday.
It is understood that she is “mentally devastated” by the tragedy.
Meanwhile, a funeral for Mrs Zimmer and her daughter Steffanie will be held next Friday on the Gold Coast.