Crash Destroys Two Families

[TVR-190]

Crash wrecked two families | The Courier-Mail

A DRINK-driving P-plater is stuck in a personal Hell. He killed his best mate in a crash. Then his mum was murdered by his mate's vengeful dad, who then killed himself.

With two families destroyed, the small rural community he lives in divided, and his own life in ruins, Brenton David Chaplin is facing a lengthy jail term .

Leigh Charter, 20, died when Chaplin, a P-plater who had been drinking, lost control of his speeding Holden Commodore and slammed into a pole in eastern Victoria in January 2008.

In an ``act of pure revenge'', Mr Charter's father, also named Leigh, murdered Mr Chaplin's mother Wendy and critically injured his father Trevor in their Harcourt North home 13 months later. Mr Charter Sr then took his own life.

The tragedy has ``effectively destroyed two entire families'', Victoria's chief crown prosecutor Gavin Silbert SC told the Victorian County Court on Thursday. And it has left Harcourt, a small central Victorian town with a population of less than 500, a divided society. Judge Ross Howie said he had no option but to jail Chaplin, 22, who pleaded guilty to culpable driving.

The tragedy began unfolding after five mates, all aged under 21, headed from Harcourt across the state to the Gippsland holiday town of Seaspray. A few hours after arriving in the town, the boys headed for a park near where they were staying and enjoyed a barbie, beer and bourbon.

Then they made the fateful decision to visit a female friend in another part of the town. Chaplin had consumed the least amount of alcohol, and it was decided that he should drive.

As they drove through the Honeysuckles Estate on Shoreline Drive, local resident Susanne Somerville remembers hearing a sound like a ``jet approaching''.

A short time later, as Chaplin fiddled with the radio, he lost control of the car and hit a pole. Mr Charter, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle and died.

Chaplin was found to have been travelling at 46km/h over the 80km/h speed limit and had a ``conservative'' blood alcohol concentration of .085 per cent. As a provisional driver he was not supposed to have any alcohol in his system. A shattered Chaplin banged his head on the bitumen at the crash scene.

In the days and weeks that followed, he and his family tried to express their sympathy to Mr Charter's family, but their condolences were rejected.

The Chaplins even held their own funeral for Mr Charter. Mr Charter's father fell into a deep depression as he grieved the loss of his son, and on February 11, 2009, he took revenge.

Armed with a knife, he stabbed fatally Wendy Chaplin, 44, critically wounded Mr Chaplin's father Trevor, and tried to kill the accused's brother Cameron and cousin Paul.

Judge Howie must now deliver a sentence that will please nobody.
Not the Charters, who say Chaplin should receive the maximum sentence for culpable driving of 20 years.
Nor the Chaplins, who say he has suffered enough already and should not be jailed.

At the completion of Thursday's pre-sentence hearing, Chaplin's family and supporters, including AFL legend Doug Hawkins, wept as he was remanded in custody. He will be sentenced on February 15.

[edals]

Crash wrecked two families | The Courier-Mail

Im Speachless.

[STEALTHY™]

Crash destroyed one family. ****ed up person destroyed the other.

/thread

[ClairBear]

Here in SA today 3 young lads were buried together in a combined service held on the oval of their local community. They were killed on Australia Day when the car they were in crashed into a tree.

The lad that was driving survived. From what I can determine it was not due to alcohol or speed, just a freak tragic accident. A girl who works for us comes from that community and was close to one of the families involved, hence why I have these facts.

He was not allowed to attend the service today to say goodbye to the mates he killed.

What an awful thing to have to live with.

[vr94ss]

That and Sashyre's short story are just really sad. Not only because of the losses but because of emotion ruling rationality. I have three sons. 21, 17 almost 18 and one 15 that will going for his L's in December and I've thought about the possibility of this kind of shit happening for years.

The odds are that at least one of them at some stage will be a passenger or driver when shit goes down and have vowed and keep reinforcing it in my mind that if that happens, I must use reason over emotion. Everyone does stupid shit at some point in their lives and unless those in the car try to stop them they are just as at fault. I have told my kids to just ask to get out and ring. Don't know that will happen, I hope so.

Even though these kids driving are the actual ones at fault, there's no doubt in my mind that having to live with that for the rest of your life would be horrific. It would be to me.

So.. I s'pose I'm hoping people act rationally, not likely I know but considering statistics if you have sons you should at least be ready for the knock at the door.

My 21yo almost killed himself on a BMX last year doing some stupid stunt down a flight of stairs:/ Still recovering. No matter how many times you tell 'em not to be a dick at some point......

Be rational people..

[ClairBear]

VR94ss: I have adult kids also, 23, 20 and 18. I know what you are saying about the fear of losing a child through wreckless stuipidity.

However, you can reinforce over and over to them how to take care of themselves in all sorts of situations but most of us think we are invincible and it won't happen to us. I can recall countless situations where I should have ended it, such as being a passenger in an idiots car, but I chanced it.

Some of us make it through, others don't. Nothing will ever change.

[strgas]

you cant stop stupid from being stupid just hope your well out of the way when stupid comes around you .

[S.T.K.E]

As we have all heard Stupid is What Stupid Does.
It's events like this which sink in the most. When you do stupid things like this, Do you want to be the person responsible for the death of your family members or close mates.

[Mark1990]

RIP Brock, Jake and Matt. Compass will never be the same

[vr94ss]

VR94ss: I have adult kids also, 23, 20 and 18. I know what you are saying about the fear of losing a child through wreckless stuipidity.

However, you can reinforce over and over to them how to take care of themselves in all sorts of situations but most of us think we are invincible and it won't happen to us. I can recall countless situations where I should have ended it, such as being a passenger in an idiots car, but I chanced it.

Some of us make it through, others don't. Nothing will ever change.

I know what you're saying and I'm not disagreeing. I do reinforce, youtube is great for examples. I made it through too Was it luck or skill? I can tell you sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. I took way too many chances when I look back.

That's one of the reasons I'm saying IF shit happens then don't use emotion for decisions, use reason. I'm no saint I can tell ya. I haven't had an accident since I was 21, almost 30 years ago, but I wrote off two ZB Fairlanes and an RX4 before that.

We all f'up.

edit: Also haven't lost a point on my liscense since I was 25 when I unfortunately/fortunately lost them all and my job.. Excess 0.08 in WA before it changed to 0.05. No liscence, no mechanics job..

Edit2: I also think emotion should not be taken into consideration in making law. Law should be rational.

[strgas]

And how many people here know of someone , family or friends that drink and drive often yet give no thought to try and stop them by taking away there keys , or disable there car or offer to drive them home or call a cab so they dont become a risk to others on the road ???

[vr94ss]

And how many people here know of someone , family or friends that drink and drive often yet give no thought to try and stop them by taking away there keys , or disable there car or offer to drive them home or call a cab so they dont become a risk to others on the road ???

I don't/won't take their keys but will do almost everything else in my power to stop them. Lose the keys if they leave them out on the table.. Yep.. I've had a really pissed off wife after her driving drunk mates home. They have even hit on her I won't physically take anyones keys but all else.. Yep..

I also make passengers get out and pick up litter if they throw it out of my car and tell 'em get it, put it on the floor or walk.. I've even had a couple of "you can't be serious?" They all pick it up

[STEALTHY™]

And how many people here know of someone , family or friends that drink and drive often yet give no thought to try and stop them by taking away there keys , or disable there car or offer to drive them home or call a cab so they dont become a risk to others on the road ???

I dont know anyone. No friend of mine will drink drive (either because i wont let them, or they wont be a friend if they insist on it)

[TVR-190]

I dont know anyone. No friend of mine will drink drive (either because i wont let them, or they wont be a friend if they insist on it)

Same .

[Commydoor]

times are different these days than way back then...we took excessive risks and we survived not so much from skill but luck...that luck though was because we were better educated and used our noggins (think before you act) even if it was risky...it appears these days if you dont have a G** F****D attitude to learning and a lack of respect for others property then you aint tough and they all want to be tough...tough is the new dead and the tougher you are the deader your gonna become...so meh, let them kill themselves i wont lose any sleep over it their on their own...

[STEALTHY™]

times are different these days than way back then...we took excessive risks and we survived not so much from skill but luck...that luck though was because we were better educated and used our noggins (think before you act) even if it was risky...it appears these days if you dont have a G** F****D attitude to learning and a lack of respect for others property then you aint tough and they all want to be tough...tough is the new dead and the tougher you are the deader your gonna become...so meh, let them kill themselves i wont lose any sleep over it their on their own...

No, times are the same. The only difference is its harder to do the right thing these days. Doing the wrong thing is just as easy

[minux]

This story is full of fail.

[STEALTHY™]

This story is full of fail.

Its something you'd think you'd read from america. Victims parent takes revenge on everyone BUT the person who killed his son......

[dbarnes]

20-YEAR-OLD KILLED - Local News - News - General - Port Macquarie News

This is what happened in our area yesterday morning....such a waste

[Cheap6]

Its something you'd think you'd read from america. Victims parent takes revenge on everyone BUT the person who killed his son......

I'm guessing that the idea was to make the person who acted in a way that ultimately caused his son's death suffer. Bloody pointless though.

It's so easy to make a poor decision that has lifelong consequences for many people. I think of the poor 15 year old girl who has to go through the rest of her life without legs after a recent well publicised crash, not to mention the loss of her friend.

[cewing]

Wow. kind of a worst case scenario there in the original story.
I think regardless of people's 'stupidity' or not, as long as alcohol exists this will happen forever.
Everyone loves a drink, but as a society we pay a god aweful price

[Silver_VS_II]

20-YEAR-OLD KILLED - Local News - News - General - Port Macquarie News

This is what happened in our area yesterday morning....such a waste

Micheal was a friend of mine, he's such a ****ing good bloke i can't beleive it happened.

[minux]

Its something you'd think you'd read from america. Victims parent takes revenge on everyone BUT the person who killed his son......

Well, no one killed his son except his son. His son made the choice to get into the car, his son knew he was drunk, end of the day it was his own sons fault he is dead.

20-YEAR-OLD KILLED - Local News - News - General - Port Macquarie News

This is what happened in our area yesterday morning....such a waste

Micheal was a friend of mine, he's such a ****ing good bloke i can't beleive it happened.

Why is everyone an awesome person when they die? I know drug deadheads that have been murdered who were "great guys" and "loved their families" and "would never hurt anyone" and would never do anything wrong". Even the other week the 5 clowns who were killed being wankers, apparently they were all great guys who never do anything wrong(except doing 140in a 70 zone while drink driving and hanging out the window) hey though, cant let that get in the way of a good story.

[Silver_VS_II]

Why is everyone an awesome person when they die? I know drug deadheads that have been murdered who were "great guys" and "loved their families" and "would never hurt anyone" and would never do anything wrong". Even the other week the 5 clowns who were killed being wankers, apparently they were all great guys who never do anything wrong(except doing 140in a 70 zone while drink driving and hanging out the window) hey though, cant let that get in the way of a good story.

I don't beleive everyone is an awsome person that has died? Your saying drug users, might have been great with the family and friends and shit but there drug users, doesn't that just tell you, there not the greatest of guys?
There are shitloads of people around my town who i could say "aww saw that coming" when they're dead because of an accident like thi, but this kid was just a genuine kid who died too young.

Edit: I misread Drug Deadheads, for Drug Dealers

[STEALTHY™]

Well, no one killed his son except his son. His son made the choice to get into the car, his son knew he was drunk, end of the day it was his own sons fault he is dead.

I completely agree. I'd rather walk than be a passenger in a car with a drunk driver (to this day, have never been in one, and i never will).
It just seemed funny that, the driver would be the person the father would be blaming (just like Clairs story where the driver wasn't allowed at their funerals, even tho they were mates), yet it was people who had nothing to do with it that were killed/injured (other than the fact they conceived him....)