Ryan Norman sentenced for drunken Burnett Highway crash in work ute

When police arrived at the scene of a crash on the Burnett Hwy the miner driver had made it out of the wreck alive but it soon became clear he was still in deep trouble.

Ryan Francis Norman was sentenced in Gladstone Magistrates Court.

It was 6.20am when Wowan police were called to a single-vehicle crash on the Burnett Highway.

What they found when they arrived at the scene 10 minutes later was shocking.

A white Toyota ute was in a culvert off the road, the front extensively damaged, and empty beer cans were scattered around the crash site.

A member of the public immediately approached an officer and said the driver, Ryan Francis Norman, was out of the car and had been drinking alcohol.

Police found Norman stumbling around near the road and he was holding his chest in pain.

Police could smell liquor on his breath and saw more empty beer cans inside the vehicle.

Norman was taken by ambulance to Biloela Hospital and it was there that a blood specimen was taken.

He subsequently returned a blood alcohol reading of .219.

The 37-year-old accepted this version of events in Gladstone Magistrates Court on April 10 where he pleaded guilty to drink-driving and more details about the crash on November 15 last year at Dixalea were revealed.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jessica McLaren said Norman told police during an interview in February that he “did not remember much” about the crash.

“He stated that he was working at the German Creek mine at Middlemount and was on a seven on, seven off roster, and was staying in Dysart for accommodation,” Snr Const McLaren said.

“He finished his last shift at about 6pm on the 14th of November, 2023, and drove back to Dysart.

“He decided to go to a hotel for beers and for a feed.”

Snr Const McLaren said while Norman was at the pub, he made a decision to drive back home to Gladstone, leaving Dysart about 1am on November 15.

The court heard Norman’s wife had a disability, suffered from a complex disease and “at times” this had been “very hard to deal with.”

“He (Norman) acknowledged it was a bad decision to drive on that occasion,” Snr Const McLaren said.

The court heard the ute Norman had been driving was a work vehicle and as a result of the crash, he had lost his job.

It was told police investigations had revealed that Norman had exceeded the speed limit “on a number of occasions” while driving home to Gladstone.

“The highest speed recorded in that vehicle was 150kmh,” Snr Const McLaren said.

The court also heard Norman had one “dated” similar offence on his traffic history and no criminal history.

Solicitor Sophie-Lee Oliver tendered character references for Norman as well as an apology letter he had written.

Ms Oliver said Norman had worked as a boilermaker for 17 years and he recently started a new job with a local company.

She said this new job allowed Norman to better assist with his wife’s care.

Norman’s wife was in court to support him.

Ms Oliver said the injuries Norman suffered in the crash included five fractured ribs and a displaced sternum.

“And ultimately, (he) doesn’t recall the events of the crash at all... he briefly remembers that he was crawling around the crash site on his hands and knees, and feeling winded, before then waking up in the Biloela hospital.

“As a result, he has realised the severity of his alcohol issues as accumulation of working in the mining industry coupled with his attempts to self-medicate against his ongoing struggle with depression and anxiety.”

Ms Oliver said Norman was now medicated appropriately.

Prior to sentencing, Magistrate Mary Buchanan told Norman it was “lucky you weren’t killed” in the crash.

She fined him $1500 and disqualified him from driving for 14 months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.