St Eddies hit-and-run driver appeals 13-year term
Tayler Hazell is appealing his 13-year sentence for hitting two teenagers in a stolen car in a school zone.
Tayler Christian Hazell, aged in his early 30s and affected by methamphetamine, hit two St Edmund's College students outside the school in Canberra's Griffith in March 2025. The boys, aged 15 and 14, were standing on a median strip in a 40kmh zone and were both hospitalised.
Hazell did not stop and continued speeding in the stolen Holden Commodore. Hazell was arrested shortly after.
In March 2026, a judge sentenced him to 13 years and two months with a nine-year non-parole period. The judge found Hazell had "sought to lie and manipulate" to minimise his responsibility, including in a letter of apology he read in court.
On Tuesday, Hazell's barrister argued the sentence was excessive and that the judge wrongly rejected his expressions of remorse. The appeal judges will decide the case later.
- 13 years and 2 months
- Sentence length
- 9 years
- Non-parole period
- March 2025
- Incident date
- 40kmh
- Speed zone
Why it mattersThe case tests whether courts will reduce sentences when drivers claim remorse after serious crimes that leave victims with injuries.
AustraliaSchool safety concerns in Canberra, and a reminder of the risks young people face from dangerous drivers on their way to school.
