Woman accused of murdering a police officer by running him down with a car told her female friend 'we ride together and we die together', court hears
Two women accused of fatally hitting a police officer with a car have been ordered to stand trial for murder, with the magistrate hearing claims one said: 'We ride together and we die together.'
Skye Anne Wallis and Kari O'Brien faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday for a committal hearing after being charged with murdering Senior Constable David Masters.
The 53-year-old officer died after being hit by a suspected stolen car while deploying a tyre deflation device on the Bruce Highway at Burpengary, north of Brisbane, at about 3am on June 26, 2021.
Skye Anne Wallis (left) and Kari O'Brien (right) faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday
Magistrate Peter Saggers on Thursday ordered that both Wallis and O'Brien stand trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court on one count each of murder, arson and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
'Do you wish to say anything in answer to those charges or enter a plea?' Mr Saggers asked Wallis.
'No, Your Honour,' Wallis said.
Members of Sen Const Masters' family sitting in court gasped when O'Brien was also committed to stand trial after nearly two hours of legal arguments.
The Crown alleges the vehicle used to kill Sen Const Masters was driven by 36-year-old Wallis, while O'Brien was a passenger.
Senior Constable David Masters died after being hit by a suspected stolen car
The Crown has alleged Wallis is responsible for the death as she drove the car dangerously at or toward the officer or by acting with reckless indifference to human life.
Prosecutor Dejana Kovac said a jury could find O'Brien guilty of felony murder because she aided or encouraged the alleged dangerous driving by Wallis that was likely to endanger life and for the unlawful purpose of evading police.
Ms Kovac said O'Brien had allegedly told Wallis not to pull over when they were spotted by police and had allegedly participated in setting the car involved in the fatal incident alight and later changing their clothes.
'Something important that Ms O'Brien says when she tells Ms Wallis they're in this together: "you know we ride together and we die together",' Ms Kovac said.
O'Brien declined to make a statement in court in response to the charges or enter a plea.
Wallis was remanded in custody and her case will next be heard in December
O'Brien's barrister Christopher Wilson made a submission that his 27-year-old client had no case to answer, arguing there was insufficient evidence to commit her to stand trial for murder.
'There is no evidence implicating her in any other way except that she was in a car,' Mr Wilson said.
Mr Wilson said O'Brien had used the word 'we' in a colloquial sense in that she was allegedly in the car when it hit Sen Const Masters but she had not provided encouragement to Wallis.
Mr Saggers committed Wallis and O'Brien to stand trial after hearing testimony from a witness in closed court.
The witness was granted special status afterthe magistrate accepted a police report about threats made against the witness.
The defendants will face trial at a later date to be notified by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Wallis was remanded in custody and her case will next be heard in December along with a separate charge of weapons possession.
O'Brien's bail was continued and she declined to comment as she left court after the hearing.
