Unfortunate truth: fatal crash 'could not be predicted'

Amid a psychotic episode, Harrison Kitt crashed into two cars at high speed and killed two women including a senior police officer.

An hour before the April 2020 crash, the law student was recorded driving at 187km/h by a fixed speed camera.

However, a coroner has found the devastating outcome could not have been predicted and there was no genuine opportunity for police to intervene.

South Australian State Coroner David Whittle on Tuesday delivered his findings into the deaths of Detective Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan, 55, and Tania McNeill, 53, more than six years after the fatal collision.

The three-car crash occurred when Mr Kitt, then aged 21, drove through a red light in Adelaide's south at an estimated 167km/h.

Mr Kitt pleaded not guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing harm and was found not guilty because of mental incompetence.

He is now subject to mental health and parole board supervision while living with his parents.

In 2022, the District Court set that period, known as a limiting term, at 10 years.

A fixed speed camera on Victor Harbor Rd, near Tatachilla, captured a photograph of Mr Kitt travelling at 187km/h in his parents' Volkswagen Amarok utility at 12.41pm, 59 minutes before the fatal crash.

At the 2024 inquest, counsel assisting Martin Kirby said it was not in question that the dreadful collision occurred after high-speed driving by a young man experiencing his first psychotic episode.

The inquest had considered whether specific alerts could be issued by camera systems that detect vehicles travelling at very high speeds.

The coroner was told the SA police camera network comprised ageing technology that was difficult to upgrade.

"It is likely that newer camera systems, which were being procured at the time of the inquest, may be able to be configured for this capability," Mr Whittle said.

There was no criticism to be made of either police or the Transport Department and Mr Whittle found that the deaths of Mrs Shanahan and Mrs McNeill were not preventable.

"The unfortunate truth is that this event could not have been predicted, nor was there any genuine opportunity to safely end Mr Kitt's behaviour," he found.

Strong consideration should be given to implementing a system where extreme speed notifications were automatically issued to police by fixed-point speed cameras, Mr Whittle recommended.

The sudden, violent deaths of Mrs Shanahan and Mrs McNeill had "extremely traumatic" effects on their family and friends, and the community generally, the coroner said.

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636