The mother of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas has been taken to a police watch house after being released from hospital.
Uiatu “Joan” Taufua, 46, was transported to the Southport watch house from Gold Coast University Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
Charges were brought against her in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The 46-year-old was the sole survivor of a two-car crash in which three occupants of a silver Mercedes, two women and a man from the same family were killed at Bonogin on December 30.
Ms Taufua was charged on Monday with three counts of manslaughter and one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, evading police, and unlicensed driving.
Round 1
Footage emerged on Monday showing a black mercedes, allegedly driven by Ms Taufua, driving erratically moments before the fatal crash. Emergency services were called to the collision around 5pm Friday on Bonogin Rd in Bonogin, with the silver Mercedes knocked from the road into a power pole, trapping the driver and two passengers. Gold Coast District Officer Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said on Saturday police had tried to intercept the black Mercedes only moments before the crash, after they noticed it allegedly driving erratically. Ms Taufua’s lawyer Leigh Johnson, best known for representing on of the killers of Anita Cobby, spoke on her client’s case, alongside Ms Taufua’s husband and her brother. “It’s a really tragic event for everybody,” said Ms Johnson told Nine News, “Ms Taufua is devastated that people have died because of this.” Meanwhile, an online fundraising campaign has been set-up by the daughter of one of the victims in Friday’s crash. Claudine Snow is aiming to raise $75,000 to cover the funeral expenses for her mother Susan Zimmer, stepfather Christopher Fawcett, and sister Steffanie. “They all died a horrific death. My whole world has been turned upside down,” wrote Ms Snow on the GoFundMe page. “I want to give my family members the funeral service they deserve,” said Ms Snow, “I have limited financial means and I am in the reluctant position of asking our wonderful community for assistance.” The fundraising page was launched early on Tuesday afternoon, and at the time of writing had raised almost $9000.
