August 19th 2024.
On Easter Sunday, Rory Teiffel had a busy day planned. As a devout Christian, he attended church not once, but twice. Afterward, he decided to take his brother and cousins for a spin in his brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee. He was proud of his new vehicle and couldn't wait to show his family its impressive eight gears.
However, just nine-and-a-half minutes into their drive, tragedy struck. Teiffel lost control of the car while traveling at a shocking speed of 246km/h and crashed into two trees. His 26-year-old cousin, Ryan Suggate, was killed instantly, and his 16-year-old brother, Denver, passed away six days later in the hospital. Teiffel himself pleaded guilty to two charges of culpable driving causing death, as well as a summary offense of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
During his sentencing, the Victoria County Court heard how Teiffel's actions had left his family heartbroken. The judge, Sarah Leighfield, acknowledged that the 25-year-old was struggling with intense feelings of shame and guilt for his role in the tragic accident. As a result, she decided to hand down a sentence lower than the standard term, taking into account the emotional punishment Teiffel had already endured.
But while the judge showed compassion for Teiffel's emotional state, she also recognized the severity of his actions. She noted that he had been traveling at excessive speeds in the minutes leading up to the crash, and that his behavior was criminally negligent. Despite the support of his family and community, Teiffel would still have to face the consequences of his actions.
Living with his parents and brother in Wangaratta, Teiffel's family was devastated by the loss of their loved ones. On Easter Sunday in 2023, they had gone to church together, and afterward, Teiffel wanted to show his cousins and brother the power of his new Jeep. However, in less than 10 minutes, he went from driving at a safe speed of 90km/h to a dangerous 246km/h.
One of Teiffel's cousins, Arron Suggate, who was also in the car during the crash, described the speed as something that "throws you back in your seat." The court also heard that after 7pm, as Teiffel took the Jeep through a bend, he lost control and crashed into two trees before flipping onto its roof. Judge Leighfield stated that Teiffel's behavior was criminally negligent and that the speeds he was traveling at were exceptionally high.
Despite the pain and grief Teiffel's family was experiencing, the judge wanted to send a message to young people about the dangers of reckless driving. She handed down a maximum jail term of eight years and nine months, emphasizing the severity of the consequences for those who choose to drive at excessive speeds. Teiffel's supporters cried in court as the sentence was handed down, and he has already served 44 days of his sentence after requesting for his bail to be revoked in July.
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