Teen Acquitted of Manslaughter in Fatal Stolen Car Crash
A 16-year-old boy has been acquitted of manslaughter and culpable driving causing death in connection with a fatal stolen car crash. The incident occurred near the Prime Minister's Canberra residence in April 2024 and resulted in the death of a 15-year-old backseat passenger. The boy, who consistently denied being the driver, was found not guilty following a trial in the ACT Supreme Court but pleaded guilty to riding in a motor vehicle without consent.
Incident Details: The Fatal Crash
On April 17, 2024, a stolen Toyota Camry crashed into a concrete barrier on Adelaide Avenue, near the Prime Minister's Lodge in Canberra, before rolling onto its roof. A 15-year-old backseat passenger was ejected from the vehicle and subsequently died from head injuries.
Reports indicated the stolen Camry was driving erratically and speeding in convoy with another stolen vehicle, a black Genesis, prior to the crash. CCTV cameras near the Prime Minister's Lodge captured footage of these vehicles.
Immediately following the crash, the accused teenager and 20-year-old Jack Summerrell-Jenkins exited the Camry and were subsequently picked up by the waiting Genesis. Summerrell-Jenkins was sentenced in July 2025 for his involvement, having admitted to being a passenger in the stolen Camry. Crucially, both the teenager and Summerrell-Jenkins denied being the driver of the crashed vehicle.
Court Proceedings: The Driver's Identity at the Heart of the Trial
The central dispute during the trial revolved entirely around the identity of the driver. The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident and has been in custody since August 27, 2024, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and an alternative charge of culpable driving causing death.
Accused's Testimony: "I Was a Passenger"
The teenager testified that he was in the front passenger seat, wearing a seatbelt, and that Jack Summerrell-Jenkins was driving. He claimed he exited through the driver's side door after the crash, subsequently running to the waiting Genesis.
He reported sustaining a bloody nose and mouth, and a sore chest, attributing a slight bruise on his chest to the seatbelt. He described being "hanging upside down" from his seatbelt before unbuckling and falling.
Prosecution's Argument: Forensic Evidence Points to Accused Driving
The prosecution described the accused's account of exiting through the driver's side as a "recent invention." They presented compelling forensic evidence, including:
- The accused's blood on the road outside the driver's door.
- Blood spatter found throughout the driver's side of the car.
- Forensic analysis revealing 12 DNA samples matching the accused on the driver's side, compared to 11 on the passenger side.
- CCTV footage showing a 35-second interval between the crash and the Genesis driving past Commonwealth Avenue.
The prosecution contended that the accused exited from the driver's side because he was, in fact, the driver.
Defense's Argument: Reasonable Doubt Remains
Defense barrister John Purnell argued vigorously that the prosecution had not proven beyond reasonable doubt that his client was driving. He emphasized that there was "no direct evidence" from prosecution witnesses to definitively identify the driver.
The defense challenged several aspects of the prosecution's case:
- The reliance on the tight 35-second CCTV window was questioned.
- Witness certainty regarding occupants' exit points was challenged, noting one witness initially reported two people exiting different sides but later stated uncertainty.
- It was argued that blood on the road outside the driver's door did not definitively prove who was driving. Instead, it was suggested it only showed the accused dropped blood while exiting through that window, following Summerrell-Jenkins.
Defense also urged jurors to view Summerrell-Jenkins' evidence cautiously, citing his admitted heavy drug and alcohol use that night and reported memory loss of key events. The defense maintained that it remained reasonably possible Summerrell-Jenkins had been driving.
Verdict and Sentencing
The jury ultimately found the 16-year-old boy not guilty of manslaughter and culpable driving causing death.
Following the acquittal, the boy pleaded guilty to riding in a motor vehicle without consent. Given the 16 months he had already spent in custody, Acting Justice John Burns sentenced him to a three-month good behaviour order.
His solicitor, Zachary McBride, stated that his client had spent significant time in prison for a crime he did not commit, arguing that the evidence clearly indicated he was not the driver.