A Northern Territory teenager killed when his best friend crashed a stolen car at high speed was being pursued by "poorly organised" police following a drug-fuelled crime spree, his inquest has heard.
Ashley Richards, 18, was one of four Darwin youths police say were involved in a car-jacking and an armed robbery, before they ran a red light while travelling at more than 180km/h and smashed into a Jeep in 2015.
The driver, Aaron Hyde, who is now 20 and in an adult jail, last month launched a class action with other former Don Dale Youth Detention Centre inmates over alleged abuse.
Counsel Assisting the Coroner Kelvin Currie said the teens were high on ice and were "baiting" police into pursuits during a 24-hour crime bender when Mr Richards died.
The group stole fuel from service stations before rear-ending a Holden Commodore and carjacking its three occupants.
At about midnight on September 6, the group also held up a pizza delivery boy in Fannie Bay, with Mr Richards threatening him with a shotgun.
Police called off several high-speed chases because of safety concerns, as Hyde was driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic at about 3am.
"At the time Aaron said that he believed he was being pursued by police," Mr Currie told the Darwin Coroner's Court on Monday.
The driver of the Jeep they crashed into was thrown 20 metres from his car but survived.
The engine of his car was also thrown 20m and a power pole was knocked over.
One of the police compared the crime scene to that of a plane crash, with "debris all over the place."
Hyde fled from the scene while his three passengers remained in the car.
Emergency workers had to cut the two young men from the car, while Mr Richards' girlfriend woke up and was taken to hospital with vertebral compression fractures.
The surviving male passenger suffered a head injury, broken jaw and badly broken leg.
"Ashley remained unconscious. He sounded as if he was groaning with each breath," Mr Currie said.
He suffered a "catastrophic traumatic brain injury" and died in hospital that day.
Hyde was arrested shortly after the accident and is now serving an 11-year jail sentence.
He's one of hundreds of former Don Dale detainees who may have been assaulted by guards over the past decade that are being encouraged to join a lawsuit against the NT government, which could cost taxpayers millions.
Mr Currie said Mr Richards showed a "particular penchant" for stealing cars and was convicted at least 13 times for joy riding with his friends.
His early life was marred by significant family violence and substance abuse from his parents and Mr Richards later enjoyed the "rush" of committing crimes and provoking police.
"The domestic violence he witnessed and experienced had a significant effect on his emotional and behavioural development, leaving him fearless and willing to involve himself in high risk situations," Mr Currie said.
Mr Currie noted that police have few options when trying to safely stop troubled youths joy riding in stolen cars.
"(But) the actions of police throughout much of the episode seemed poorly organised and co-ordinated," he said.
"The primary resolution strategy seemed to be the hope that the Commodore would run out of fuel."
