UPDATE: In a shocking incident early this morning, a driver with an expired license crashed his mother’s red Mitsubishi Triton into parked cars on Kaitlers Road in Lavington. The chaotic scene unfolded around 5:30 AM on July 31, leaving a trail of destruction and raising serious questions about road safety.
Witnesses reported that Karl Fredrick Harris, aged 44, was speeding well above the limit, towing a trailer loaded with wood, when he collided with a parked white Hyundai i30. The impact was so severe that it sent the Hyundai crashing onto a nature strip and into a tree, approximately 15 meters from its original position. The vehicle also struck a power pole, necessitating its replacement.
Police confirmed that this reckless behavior did not stop there. In a desperate attempt to flee the scene, Harris drove into the back of a parked red MG on Kaitlers Road. He failed to stop and provide his details to the owners of the vehicles or to authorities.
The Hyundai, which was uninsured, suffered catastrophic damage and was deemed unrepairable. Police revealed that Harris had been caught driving without a valid license for the fifth time in just over two years, raising alarms about repeat offenders on the roads.
During his court appearance on September 22, magistrate Sally McLaughlin expressed concern over Harris’s lack of accountability. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including negligent driving and not providing details after the collision. When asked if he had any comments on his actions, Harris responded, “There’s probably nothing you can take into account… It was my mother’s vehicle,” quickly adding that she was unaware he had taken the Triton that morning.
According to police records, they received a tip the following day about the damaged vehicle’s whereabouts. Upon investigation, they found the Mitsubishi covered by a tarpaulin at Harris’s mother’s residence. The damage matched that of the hit-and-run incident, leading to further inquiries.
Harris admitted to having an expired New South Wales driver’s license, which had lapsed on December 22, 2022, due to unpaid fines. He revealed, “I can’t renew it cause I have too many fines.”
As a result of this reckless driving episode, Harris was convicted and fined $4,900, in addition to being disqualified from driving for three months.
This incident highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement of driving regulations for repeat offenders to ensure public safety on the roads. As investigations continue, motorists are reminded of the critical importance of adhering to traffic laws to prevent such dangerous situations in the future.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
