Investigation into fitness of Matthew McLuckie's alleged killer, Shakira Adams, likely

Shakira May Adams, 20, has been charged with manslaughter, culpable driving causing death, aggravated reckless driving, unlicensed driving and driving a vehicle without consent following a fatal crash last May.

Police allege the Bruce woman was travelling at no less than 177km/h, on the wrong side of Hindmarsh Drive, when she collided head-on with 20-year-old Matthew McLuckie.

Investigators believe Mr McLuckie, who was driving home from work at Canberra Airport, had been going 80km/h when his car was struck.

The P-plater died at the scene of the crash, while Adams ended up in intensive care.

The force of the impact was so great Detective Acting Superintendent Paul Hutcheson, of ACT Policing, has described it as the equivalent of driving into a brick wall at more than 250km/h.

Adams' condition in the aftermath was such that police had been unable to interview her as of December 2022, when investigators issued a lawyer for the woman with a summons to face court.

She was not required to appear for the first mention of her matter in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning, when defence lawyer Tamzin Lee said Adams was in hospital.

"There is likely to be a question raised with her fitness to plead," Ms Lee told the court.

Ms Lee added that she was likely to eventually ask for the matter to be committed to the ACT Supreme Court for an investigation of the issue in that jurisdiction.

MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS:

A fitness to plead investigation is concerned with a defendant's capacity to comprehend court proceedings.

Magistrate Louise Taylor ultimately granted Ms Lee's request for a four-week adjournment, listing the case to come back to court on March 7.

Ms Lee indicated Adams hoped to appear via audio-visual link on that date.

Loved ones and supporters of Mr McLuckie, including father Tom McLuckie, watched the proceedings from the public gallery on Tuesday.

Tom McLuckie told reporters outside court he felt it was important to attend the case to represent his late son, who no longer had a voice of his own.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: