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A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for the dangerous driving death of a Kippa-Ring grandmother in a horrific crash that has left a family shattered.
Andrew Julian Stewart-Smith was handed the sentence at Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday for the September 2023 collision that claimed the life of 73-year-old Yrsa Christoffersen and left her daughter Maria with life-changing injuries.
The court heard Stewart-Smith was driving a stolen Holden Commodore at speeds of up to 114 kilometres per hour in a 60 km/h zone along Anzac Avenue when he crashed into Ms Christoffersen’s stationary hatchback just after 6.30am on September 22, 2023.
Ms Christoffersen died at the scene at the intersection of Anzac Avenue and Oleander Street, whilst her daughter Maria spent 11 days in hospital with severe injuries including a broken jaw, two shattered ribs, fractured vertebrae, and serious head trauma.
In a heart-wrenching victim impact statement read to the packed courtroom, Maria described the moment her world changed forever. She recalled a car coming from nowhere before waking up in hospital, immediately sensing something was terribly wrong when medical staff wouldn’t tell her where her mother was.
Maria’s lost up to 15 kilograms in the first 10 days of her recovery, unable to eat properly and vomiting blood. The physical injuries were accompanied by the devastating emotional toll of losing her mother without the chance to say goodbye.
The court heard that Stewart-Smith fled the crash scene despite pleas from bystanders to remain and assist. He told witnesses they didn’t understand because it wasn’t his car before jumping fences to escape. Police tracked him down two hours later using sniffer dogs, finding him covered in mud hiding in a drain.
Justice Tom Sullivan described Stewart-Smith’s behaviour as “reprehensible” during the sentencing. The judge noted that after the crash, Stewart-Smith’s actions went beyond panic, appearing to be a calculated attempt to avoid arrest.
Stewart-Smith, who left the elite Nudgee College after Year 11, had an extensive traffic history with 35 prior speeding offences. The court was told his dangerous driving on the morning of the crash lasted approximately three minutes and involved erratic behaviour, swerving between traffic, and excessive speeds in multiple zones.
Crown prosecutor Jordan Daniels told the court that Stewart-Smith had attached stolen number plates to the stolen utility vehicle. When arrested, he was found in possession of 3.3 grams of methamphetamine and digital devices containing child exploitation material.
Maria’s sister Lorna also provided a victim impact statement, describing how the tragedy “broke” her young son, who had been staying with his grandmother in the days before the crash. She spoke about visiting the crash site and the haunting realisation of what could have happened to her child, noting a car seat had been thrown from the vehicle during the collision.
Defence barrister Angus Edwards acknowledged his client’s apologies might seem hollow but insisted they were genuine. He described Stewart-Smith not as a violent person but as someone struggling with drug addiction who never intended to hurt anyone.
The court heard Stewart-Smith had undertaken drug rehabilitation courses whilst in custody, addressing the substance abuse issues that underpinned his offending behaviour.
Stewart-Smith pleaded guilty in March to multiple charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and grievous bodily harm whilst excessively speeding, leaving the scene of an accident, drug offences, and child exploitation material charges.
Justice Sullivan opted not to set parole at the typical one-third mark for a guilty plea, meaning Stewart-Smith will serve more than the standard minimum sentence before becoming eligible for release. The judge also disqualified his licence indefinitely.
The tragedy has left an indelible mark on the Kippa-Ring community, with the victim impact statements painting a picture of Ms Christoffersen as a kind, gentle, and loving woman whose loss has devastated her family.
Justice Sullivan emphasised during sentencing that Ms Christoffersen was entirely blameless in the collision and highlighted the severe impact on her family, particularly her daughter Maria’s ongoing recovery from serious injuries.
The case has been processed through Queensland’s justice system with Stewart-Smith receiving 686 days credit for time already served. The sentence serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from dangerous driving and drug-affected decision-making on our local roads.
Published 21-July-2025
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