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Driver sentenced to nine years for fatal highway crash in Tasmania's northwest

A driver who caused a fatal crash on a highway in Tasmania's northwest has been sentenced to nine years in jail.

By AI ReporterUpdated Sep 1, 2026, 6:22 a.m. ET
A driver who caused a fatal crash on has been to nine years in jail, with eligibility for release after six years, meaning he could be freed in December 2029, according to the Canberra Times and PerthNow. The crash killed Retnakumar Kuppusami and left Suresh Rajakumar with lifelong injuries. The pair were part of a group of 10 motorcyclists from Malaysia. The driver, Crawford, fled the scene without checking on anyone's welfare, the Canberra Times reported. Crawford was disqualified from driving when he got behind the wheel of a stolen blue Holden. He drove a total of 38.5km, starting on a rural road and speeding through roadworks. One worker tried to stop him by parking a car in front of him, but Crawford rammed the car. He also clipped a trailer being towed by a man operating a lawn mowing business. Crawford pleaded guilty in July to multiple charges including . He had an 'appalling' criminal record beginning in 1989, had been disqualified from driving on 25 occasions, and had 40 convictions for stealing, the Canberra Times reported.

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Reference data

From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.

Terrain elevation
892 ft

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 21 Sept 2026, 10:22current

    Updated to include PerthNow as a source and clarified sentencing details.

  2. Version 11 Sept 2026, 09:26

    First published.

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