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Man sentenced to nine years over death of Malaysian tourist in 2023 crash

Grant Andrew Crawford was sentenced for causing death by negligent driving after a crash that killed Retnakumar Kuppusami.

4 reports on this incident · first at Sep 1, 2026, 5:44 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Sep 1, 2026, 2:15 a.m. ETUpdated Sep 1, 2026, 6:22 a.m. ET
Developing · checked 2h ago

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Sep 1, 2026, 6:08 a.m. ET — checked 2h ago.

A 55-year-old man has been to nine years' imprisonment over the death of a Malaysian tourist in a crash in 2023. Grant Andrew Crawford was in relation to the death of Retnakumar Kuppusami, according to the Advocate. Crawford was for causing death by negligent driving. The court heard he stole a Holden station wagon and drove it nearly 40 kilometres towards Yolla at an average speed of nearly 100kmh, entered a closed work site and deliberately rammed a worker's vehicle, then later hit a trailer causing him to lose control and plough into a group of oncoming tourists on motorcycles, killing Kuppusami, the Advocate reported. The government claims that Crawford stole a Holden station wagon, drove recklessly at high speed, rammed a worker's vehicle, crashed through a gate, and caused a collision that killed a tourist, the Advocate reported. The sentence was backdated to December 18, 2023. Crawford will be ineligible for parole until at least six years and was disqualified from driving for six years, the Advocate reported.

Earlier reports

  1. Sep 1, 2026, 5:59 a.m. ET

    Driver sentenced over death of Malaysian tourist in 2023 crash

    A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for causing the death of a Malaysian tourist in a crash in 2023, according to The Advocate.

    Grant Andrew Crawford pleaded guilty to causing death by negligent driving. The court heard that Crawford stole a Holden station wagon and drove it nearly 40 kilometres towards Yolla at an average speed of nearly 100kmh, entered a closed work site and deliberately rammed a worker's vehicle, then later hit a trailer causing him to lose control and plough into a group of oncoming tourists on motorcycles, killing Retnakumar Kuppusami.

    The sentence was backdated to December 18, 2023. Crawford is ineligible for parole until at least six years and was disqualified from driving for six years.

  2. Sep 1, 2026, 5:54 a.m. ET

    Driver sentenced over death of Malaysian tourist in 2023 crash

    Grant Andrew Crawford, 55, has been sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for causing death by negligent driving, according to the Advocate. The sentence was backdated to December 18, 2023, and Crawford will be ineligible for parole until at least six years. He was also disqualified from driving for six years.

    Crawford stole a Holden station wagon and drove it nearly 40 kilometres towards Yolla at an average speed of nearly 100kmh, entered a closed work site and deliberately rammed a worker's vehicle, then later hit a trailer causing him to lose control and plough into a group of oncoming tourists on motorcycles, killing Retnakumar Kuppusami, the Advocate reported.

  3. Sep 1, 2026, 5:44 a.m. ETFirst report

    Driver sentenced over death of Malaysian tourist in 2023 crash

    A man has been sentenced over a crash that killed a Malaysian tourist in 2023. Grant Andrew Crawford, 55, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, backdated to December 18, 2023, and will be ineligible for parole until at least six years. He was also disqualified from driving for six years, according to The Advocate.

    Crawford was convicted of causing death by negligent driving. The court heard that Crawford stole a Holden station wagon and drove it nearly 40 kilometres towards Yolla at an average speed of nearly 100kmh. He entered a closed work site and deliberately rammed a worker's vehicle, then later hit a trailer, causing him to lose control and plough into a group of oncoming tourists on motorcycles, killing Retnakumar Kuppusami, The Advocate reported.

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Revision history

  1. Version 21 Sept 2026, 10:22current

    Added the government's account of the conduct as a conflicting version.

  2. Version 11 Sept 2026, 09:54current

    First published.

  3. Version 11 Sept 2026, 09:44current

    First published.

  4. Version 11 Sept 2026, 09:59current

    First published.

  5. Version 11 Sept 2026, 09:52

    First published.

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