Daughter of family killed in Gold Coast crash wants tougher rules for Queensland drivers

The daughter of a woman who was killed after a black Mercedes ploughed into her car has called for mandatory jail time for drivers who flee police. 

Claudine Snow’s mum Susan Zimmer died in the horrific crash after Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua allegedly smashed into her car in the Gold Coast Hinterland last Friday.

The devastating impact in Bonogin killed all inside, including her sister Steffanie and her mum’s partner Chris Fawcett. 

Taufua, who is the mother of Broncos star Payne Haas, has been charged with three counts of manslaughter and faces charges of dangerous driving, unlicensed driving and evading police. 

Claudine Snow’s mum Susan Zimmer (pictured together) died in the horrific crash after Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua allegedly smashed into her car last month on the Gold Coast Hinterland

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Broncos star Payne Haas’s mother Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua (pictured left in 2019 and right on Tuesday) is being subject to welfare checks in jail after allegedly causing a car crash that killed three

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Procter said police would allege Taufua’s vehicle was driven in an extremely dangerous manner on the wrong side of the road at high speed. 

The tragedy has prompted Mrs Snow to call for dramatic penalty changes for motorists who try to outrun police in Queensland.

She told the Courier Mail there should be mandatory jail time for offenders, which could be called ‘Susan’s Law’ after her mother. 

‘There has to be a greater deterrent for people to evade police … At the moment people know if they speed off the police won’t chase them,’ Mrs Snow said. 

‘The other side of the coin is that you don’t want to see police give chase and end up in a tragic accident anyway, but there has to be something better than the current system.

‘If I could bring about some constructive change, I know Mum would be proud of me.’ 

The law could be similar to Skye’s Law in NSW after toddler Skye Sassine died in a car accident caused by a man fleeing police. 

Susan Zimmer, 70, and her daughter Steffanie, 35, (together above) were killed after Taufua allegedly collided with their silver Mercedes

Retired doctor Chris Fawcett, 79, (above) was killed during the car crash in Bonogin on Friday

The devastating impact in Bonogin killed all inside, including her sister Steffanie and her mum’s partner Chris Fawcett, but Taufua survived (pictured, the aftermath of the crash)

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NSW authorities made law changes after the 19 month old was killed in the horror crash in 2009, where offenders now face three to five years in prison. 

Queensland penalises such offenders with a maximum three years prison sentence but a magistrate is able to give them a fine of about $7,100 instead.  

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said Queensland had the toughest laws in the state for police evaders. 

‘While the sentencing decision is an independent matter for the courts, the Parliament has made it clear that this type of offending is most serious,’ he said. 

Taufua (pictured) remains is in the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre at ‘medium risk’ where she is checked up on every hour for her welfare

Taufua remains is in the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre at ‘medium risk’ where she is checked up on every hour for her welfare.

The mum of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas was transported to the centre from the Southport watch house on Wednesday, after being moved from the Gold Coast University Hospital on Tuesday. 

It is understood she is ‘mentally devastated’ by the tragedy. 

Meanwhile, a funeral for Ms Zimmer and her daughter Steffanie will be held next Friday on the Gold Coast.