Why an increasingly rare Holden Commodore V8 SS ute was crushed by police

A rare Holden Commodore SS V8 Ute which was clocked at an astonishing 253 km/h on a major highway has been run over by police.

Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams, 20, was on his L-plates when he was caught speeding on the North-South Highway in South Australia.

The young father of two was driving so fast that his gearbox blew up.

Police asked to seize the unregistered vehicle as part of their case – and opted to crush it publicly on Friday as a method of disposal.

Footage of the crash shows the prized car being pounded in a scrap yard.

A Holden Commodore Ute, clocked at 253mph on a major highway in South Australia, was run over by South African police in a warning to other dangerous drivers.

Some Australians praised the police for crashing the car.

“Very satisfying to watch,” one person wrote.

“Well, I would have taken him to watch the show,” one commenter joked.

But Holden lovers couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched the prize car be brutally destroyed.

“Horrible to look at such a beautiful car,” added another.

“I should have asked for parts first,” commented one car enthusiast.

Power-Williams, 20, was sentenced to prison for his threatening driving behavior in July.

Magistrate Benjamin Sale described him as “the most dangerous man in the state” at the height of his speeding offenses in the same court earlier this month.

Magistrate Sale said Power-Williams appeared ‘to have no regard for his or anyone’s safety’ as the court heard in an earlier appearance that he had ‘aggressively’ made a three-way career .

“It’s not just being, as he described it, ‘a **** head’, but it seems to be offensive that often only ends one way… if he keeps doing it, he gets will kill or he will kill someone else.

“On the occasions he was driving the way I heard of, he was probably the most dangerous person in the state for the minutes he was driving,” Magistrate Sale said.

Defense lawyer Andrew Williams told the court the youngster was ashamed of his behavior and took risks without thinking of the consequences.

But Magistrate Sale asked Mr Williams why his client made the conscious choice to drive at extreme speeds.

“Does he just not care about his own life or the lives of others?” He asked.

Mr Williams told the court his client had become trapped in “a self-destructive cycle” of economic disadvantage, mental health issues and persistent unemployment.

He added that Power-Williams had been influenced by drugs, alcohol and negative peer pressure.

A psychological report revealed in court revealed that Power-Williams had a difficult upbringing marred by his parents’ drug use which desensitized him.

Mr Williams said his client was young and immature, which later led the magistrate to say his client would likely be ‘a risk to the community for many years to come’.

The court heard Thursday at sentencing that Power-Williams told a psychologist 18 months ago that he was done with crime and dangerous driving.

Magistrate Sale said Power-Williams failed to match his actions with his words.

The young man was sentenced to one year and four months behind bars, with a period without parole of seven months.

He was banned from driving for at least six years.

Darren Fielke, head of the South African police’s traffic services branch, said the crash served as a warning.

“This is what motorists driving at high speeds on our roads can face; prison; have your vehicle crushed and sold as scrap; and a driving ban,” Mr. Fielke said.

“This is a warning to all motorists – be responsible on our roads. This will save lives, keep you from going to jail and you can keep driving.

“The behavior of each motorist has an impact on the safety of all other road users. Road trauma has catastrophic effects on families and communities, and we cannot tolerate drivers blatantly neglecting this responsibility.

Power-Williams (pictured) was sentenced to one year and four months behind bars, with a period without parole of seven months

Power-Williams was sentenced to a year and four months in prison in July, with seven months without parole – he was also banned from driving indefinitely.

Seventy-four people have been killed on South African roads so far in 2023 – up from 46 people at the same time in 2022.

Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams (pictured), 20, has been banned from driving and will spend time behind bars

The young man was caught speeding in a black Holden ute (pictured) which was not registered on the North South Freeway at Waterloo Corner in Adelaide on January 30

South African Police Minister Joe Szakacs said this justified the crash of the commodore.

“Hooning is not an innocent act,” he said.

“It’s a stark reminder of that fact that shows in the state’s highway toll.”

“The easiest way to keep your car keys is not to drive dangerously. Lives are at stake.

“Stupid and selfish risk-taking on the roads of South Australia puts everyone who uses our roads at unnecessary risk.”

The ruins of the car will be sold for scrap, with proceeds going to the Crime Victims Relief Fund.

Power-Williams was timed by police driving 253mph in the ute, 143km over the speed limit