Matthew Simpson responsible for crash while drunk driving on Childers Road

A woman travelling to grab a pizza had to be cut out of a car on a busy regional road after a drunk driver smashed into her vehicle. The man who caused the crash has now learned his fate.

Matthew David Simpson sentenced after causing a head on collision with 19-year-old girl.

A man’s erratic driving that caused a crash and seriously injured a 19-year-old woman who was on her way to buy a pizza is behind bars after facing a Bundaberg court.

Matthew David Simpson, 34, was sentenced to three months’ jail for causing grievous bodily harm through dangerous driving while intoxicated.

Judge Nathan Jarro delivered the sentence and also addressed Simpson’s other charge of driving without a licence.

Simpson, who pleaded guilty to the offences, received a lesser sentence due to his early plea and demonstrated remorse.

Crown Prosecutor David Rigby said on June 9, 2021, 19-year-old Mikhayla Munro was travelling to Bundaberg to buy pizza.

Mr Rigby said Ms Munro was driving along Childers Rd when Simpson, driving erratically, caused a head-on collision.

A witness, who had pulled over due to Simpson’s erratic driving, described it to police as “quite crazy, it seemed very erratic”.

Matthew David Simpson.

Mr Rigby told the court after the collision, the road was closed for several hours as emergency services worked to free Ms Munro from her vehicle.

She sustained multiple fractures and was placed in critical care before being transferred to the Bundaberg Hospital where she underwent four surgeries over seven days.

Judge Jarro noted Simpson’s blood alcohol content was 0.110 per cent at the time of the crash.

The court was told witnesses heard Simpson, who was 31 years old at the time, say, “I’m sorry, miss, I didn’t want to kill anyone,” immediately after the crash.

Simpson’s legal aid representative Victoria Trafford-Walker said Simpson addressed his drinking issue by attending Alcoholics Anonymous for two to three months following the incident but ceased attending due to work duties.

“Your offending behaviour was reckless, it was foolish, and it was dangerous,” Judge Jarro said, adding that Simpson showed a “clear disregard for other (road) users”.

Ms Trafford-Walker raised concerns regarding Simpson’s work visa, being a New Zealand citizen on a temporary visa, and she said there was potential for him to be deported should he serve “actual time” in prison.
Judge Jarro said Simpson’s work visa would be cancelled if he spent time in custody, however, the deportation was speculative.

Judge Jarro sentenced Simpson to three months in custody with a three-year suspended sentence and disqualified him from driving for two years, plus an additional one-month disqualification.
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