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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Blake Foden

Alleged killer driver had drugs in system, charge claims

The aftermath of the crash that killed Matthew McLuckie, inset. Pictures supplied

A woman charged over the death of a young man is accused of having drugs in her system when she allegedly smashed a stolen car into the victim's vehicle at double the speed limit.

New details of the case against Shakira May Adams, 20, came to light in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday, when the Bruce woman's history of driving unlicensed was also revealed.

Adams, who needed a carer's help to tell magistrate Robert Cook her date of birth, appeared via both audio-visual link and telephone from Canberra Hospital, where she is receiving treatment for serious injuries sustained in the May 2022 crash that killed Matthew McLuckie.

She has not entered pleas to charges of manslaughter, culpable driving causing death, aggravated reckless driving, driving a vehicle without consent, and unlicensed driving.

Tom McLuckie, who attended court on Tuesday, holds a picture of son Matthew. Picture by Karleen Minney

Police have previously alleged Adams was behind the wheel of a stolen car, which hit Mr McLuckie's vehicle while going no less than 177km/h on the wrong side of Hindmarsh Drive.

Mr McLuckie, a 20-year-old baggage handler, was on his way home from work at Canberra Airport when he was killed.

When Mr Cook read the charges aloud for the first time on Tuesday, the allegedly stolen car was revealed to be a grey Volkswagen sedan.

The particulars of the charges also accused Adams of having drugs in her oral fluid at the time of the crash, when she was allegedly driving unlicensed as a repeat offender.

As previously foreshadowed, defence lawyer Tamzin Lee applied for Adams to be committed to the ACT Supreme Court for trial.

She asked that the question of Adams' fitness to plead be reserved, which means a judge must conduct an inquiry into whether the Bruce woman has the mental capacity to answer the charges.

Prosecutor Anthony Williamson SC did not oppose the application, which Mr Cook granted as members of Mr McLuckie's family watched on from the public gallery.

Adams' case is now set to go before the superior court's registrar for an administrative hearing next week.

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