A Mandurah man has been handed a suspended prison sentence after deliberately using his car as a weapon against a vehicle carrying his former partner and their two young children in a terrifying road rage pursuit.
Chase and Collision in Falcon
Zachary Dylan Thomas Oakey, aged 30, pleaded guilty in the Mandurah Magistrates Court to endangering the life, health and safety of a person. The court heard the disturbing incident unfolded on June 21 last year in the suburb of Falcon.
Oakey was driving when he spotted his ex-partner travelling in another car with their two children, aged seven and eight, and a male companion. He immediately initiated a pursuit. In a desperate attempt to force the other vehicle to stop, Oakey repeatedly drove in front of it and, at one point, swerved his car into the side of his ex-partner's vehicle.
Magistrate's Stern Rebuke
During the sentencing hearing last Tuesday, Magistrate Clare Cullen condemned Oakey's actions as "very serious". She highlighted the profound risk and emotional trauma inflicted, especially on the children who witnessed their father's attack.
"You were in a vehicle and saw her on the street driving with another male, and because of that, wanted to get her car to stop," Magistrate Cullen said. "Your children were in the car and could see you pursuing them. Driving at that level of emotion puts everyone on the road at risk."
In a poignant remark, the Magistrate noted the tragic irony of Oakey's actions: "You say the two things you love the most in the world were in that other car, your children, but you caused harm to the two things you hold most dear." The court was told the incident resulted in significant psychological distress for the children and directly led to Oakey losing custody of them.
Defence Plea vs Judicial Sentence
Oakey's defence lawyer argued that her client was off his prescribed ADHD medication at the time, became distracted, and collided with the car accidentally. She described the offence as out of character, stemming from a toxic relationship breakdown, and requested a fine and an intensive supervision order instead of prison.
Magistrate Cullen rejected this submission. She imposed a sentence of ten months in prison, which was suspended for a period of 13 months. The suspension is conditional upon Oakey complying with program and supervision requirements mandated by the court.
This case serves as a stark reminder of how quickly domestic disputes can escalate into public danger, with devastating consequences for all involved, particularly innocent children caught in the crossfire.
