A former Nationals candidate has been accused of the hit-and-run death of a high school teacher in the rural West Australian town of Katanning.
Luke Russell, 49, was found unresponsive and bleeding by a passerby on Marri Road in the early hours of the morning of May 13. They called for help, but Russell died a short time later.
Police, including homicide detectives, launched a search for witnesses and scoured nearby CCTV cameras. Days later, they arrested local labourer Benjamin Thomas Simpkins.
Police allege the 26-year-old was allegedly on his way to work to Gnowangerup from Katanning when he hit Russell before driving away without stopping to help or call emergency services.
Simpkins appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where prosecutors said his driving licence was suspended at the time of the incident.
He was charged with failing to stop and ensure assistance received after incident occasioning death, being the driver involved in an incident occasioning death/grievous bodily harm failed to report incident to WA Police, and no authority to drive – suspended.
Russell suffered “catastrophic” injuries to his head, as well as multiple fractures to his face and base of skull, neck, spinal, back of rib cage and shoulder blade.
Simpkins is the former treasurer of the Young Nationals WA, and is now working as a labourer and studying law online.
He also has a three-year-old son with a former partner.
Prosecutors told the court on Wednesday that, after his arrest, Simpkins refused to allow access to his phone.
Later forced analysis showed a text message was sent to him on the evening of the incident from a friend who asked whether he had “seen the murder scene” on his way to work that day.
Police allege Simpkins responded with: “No WTF.”
The court was told forensic analysis of Simpkins’ car allegedly revealed he had attempted to clean it the day after Russell’s death, but the 49-year-old’s DNA was later found on the vehicle.
Simpkins also allegedly refused to answer police questions, and the court was told mapping data allegedly placed him in the vicinity of Marri Road at the time of the incident.
Simpkins is originally from Queensland but moved to WA in 2021.
He rents a property in Katanning and applied to the court to be released on bail to that address, which raised concerns with the prosecutor because it is a small town where the victim’s family resides.
Ultimately, the magistrate refused Simpkins’ bail application due to his bail plan and because of the strength of the prosecution’s case.
Simpkins faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
He will be back before the court on June 17.
