A learner driver could be facing jail time after being caught allegedly driving at 253km/h.
According to ABC News, 20-year old Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams was caught speeding in his Holden ute through Adelaide’s north back in January of this year. He also returned a positive drug test when he was apprehended.
South Australia Police says it was “one of the highest speeds ever captured” on the state’s roads. He hit 253km/h in a 110km/h zone.
His case is currently being heard in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, and he is facing sentencing next week.
He has pled guilty to multiple offences including escaping a police pursuit, driving unregistered and breaching bail.
Mr Power-Williams reportedly admitted to police at the time of his arrest that he was “driving like a dickhead”.
Magistrate Benjamin Sale told the court Mr Power-Williams was driving “aggressively”, speeding and changing across three lanes in a manner the magistrate said showed “no regard for his safety or anybody else’s” – and that it could be an “awfully long time” before he drives again.
“On the occasions that he was driving in the fashion that I have heard, he was probably the most dangerous person in the state for those minutes that he was driving,” said Magistrate Sale per the ABC News report.
“This is not just being, as he’s described it ‘a dickhead’, but this seems to be offending that often only ends up in one way if he keeps doing it that he will kill himself or he will kill somebody else,” the Magistrate added, arguing it “sounds as if he’s going to be a risk to the community for many years to come”.
According to ABC News, Mr Power-Williams’ lawyer said the 20-year old was ashamed of his behaviour.
“It’s very risky behaviour and he acknowledges that he took those risks and did those things,” said his lawyer, Andrew Williams.
“He simply took those risks without considering the consequences.
“He’s become entrapped in a self-destructive cycle of chronic unemployment, economic disadvantage, mental health problems, negative peer-pressure, drugs and alcohol.”
The prosecutor has called for jail time and a licence suspension of no less than five years, and the fact that this isn’t Mr Power-Williams’ first vehicle offence – in 2021 he stole a vehicle and drove it at 80km/h on the wrong side of the road for at least 18 minutes.
According to ABC News, the driver at the time held a learner’s permit, and was travelling with a passenger who was not a full licence holder.
Police were able to apprehend the driver in January because his transmission failed.
At the time of the initial arrest, SA Police charged the man with aggravated extreme speed, driving in a dangerous manner, breaching his learner’s permit, and driving an unregistered motor vehicle.
As a result Mr Power-Williams lost his learner’s licence for 12 months and the Holden ute was impounded for 28 days.
