Man jailed for road rage crash

A Boyanup man was spared a jail term weeks before causing a major crash on a busy Bunbury road but was warned he would sent to prison if he was convicted of another serious offence.

On Friday, Corie Barker, 24, was jailed for 17 months after he caused a serious car accident on Australind Bypass on December 3.

A few weeks before the incident, Barker was spared a jail term in the Bunbury Magistrate’s Court for an assault and was instead given a 10-month suspended sentence.

This was revealed during Barker’s sentencing for three offences which Magistrate Elizabeth Hamilton described as being caused by “road rage”.

The incident started after Barker was delayed from crossing a Bunbury intersection because he thought the victim’s car took too long.

After beeping at the car, the passenger put his middle finger out of the window and abused Barker.

This caused the man to drive closely behind the victim’s car to chase the registration details. He was again angered when he thought an object was thrown at his car by the victim.

But Barker accidentally rammed the car as he threw a pair of pliers at it. This caused the victim’s car to veer across to the other side of the Australind Bypass, hitting another car, before stopping in a ditch.

During sentencing, Magistrate Hamilton said Barker put at risk the lives of everyone driving on the road.

“It was open to you at any time to back-off, brake and not get involved, ” she said.

She ordered Barker serve five months of his suspended sentence and another 12 months for the road rage incident.

Defence lawyer Daniel Iacopetta said Barker had apologised to one of the victims and had a tough upbringing. He said Barker had showed remorse for the crash.