Truck driver Daniel William Scaife ran red light, colliding with family in Para Hills crash

A grandfather was killed by a truckie running a red light and revived at the scene, a court was told - saying he spent months in agony and felt his broken bones “moving around”.

A truck driver with an appalling driving history was distracted by a map when he ran a red light and collided with a car carrying three generations of one family, killing a grandfather on impact, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, the District Court heard sentencing submissions in the case against Daniel William Scaife, 47, who pleaded guilty to five counts of causing harm by dangerous driving relating to a crash on July 19, 2022 in Para Hills.

Truck driver Daniel William Scaife leaves court after sentencing submissions in his dangerous driving case. Picture: Leah Smith

Scaife was charged after the truck he was driving, on behalf of Cameron International Freight, drove through a traffic light that had been red for five seconds at the intersection of Kesters and Bridge roads, colliding with a Toyota Tarago heading through the green light.

In a statement read to the court by prosecution, Alan Mills, grandfather and driver of the Toyota Tarago, said he died on impact – but, incredibly, was brought back to life by a Royal Adelaide Hospital trauma doctor who was on scene.

He said he spent nearly the next four months in a “touch-and-go battle with life” in constant pain and hallucinations.

“This caused a major strain on my family, having to live in the reality I might not survive,” Mr Miller said.

The court heard Mr Miller suffered broken bones all over his body, including ribs, both collarbones, shoulder blade, shoulder, his neck and skull, as well as multiple punctures to his lungs, brain damage and lingering paralysis to the left side of his body.

“I was largely in constant pain … some of it excruciating. I had to have constant, high-level painkillers that only brought temporary relief …

“When I was on painkillers, I had graphic hallucinations, which caused me to be distressed and not being able to work out which reality I was in.

The damage caused after Scaife ran a red light at Para Hills and crashed into the Tarago. Photo: Supplied

“When I had to have a wash over, it felt like to me, all my bones were moving around, causing me absolutely excruciating pain.”

The other passengers in the car, three children under the age of 10, and Mr Miller’s adult daughter, also suffered injuries as a result of the crash, which left lasting impacts on their lives.

Scaife, of Smithfield, read an apology to the court, telling the victims he wanted to “sincerely apologise with all my heart”, saying losing his job and the effect on his mental health “paled in comparison” to their suffering.

“It is a terrible occurrence that this happened, and I sincerely regret it to this day, I hope your family is doing better now,” Scaife said from the dock.

The court heard Scaife had 23 previous convictions for prior driving-related offences, faced up to life in jail and a 10-year driving ban for his current charges.

He was also convicted for driving with a 0.085 blood alcohol level a month after the crash.

Judge Jane Schammer ordered a home detention suitability report after defence’s submission the sentence could be served under those conditions – which prosecutors said would be opposed – and fixed a date in December for sentencing.