Meth addict Katrina Marie Adams jailed for Peak Downs Rd severe crash

A 51-year-old woman was on meth and amphetamines when other motorists witnessed her speeding, swerving between lanes and going off the road before she crashed head-on into a miner’s LandCruiser.

Katrina Marie Adams, 51, was on meth and amphetamines.

A woman with a deadly amount of methamphetamines in her system when she crashed head-on into a miner’s LandCruiser had a shocking traffic recording for speeding and licence suspensions.

Katrina Marie Adams, 51, was on meth and amphetamines when other motorists witnessed her speeding, swerving between lanes, going off the road, and at one point, connecting with a guard rail, causing sparks to fly before the severe crash on Peak Downs Road, Winchester, about 6.15pm on June 16, 2021.

The details of her traffic record were revealed during the sentencing on by Judge Jeff Clarke in Rockhampton District Court for one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, to which she pleaded guilty.

“Since July 2000, you’ve been detected speeding 10 times, including about a year after driving here,” Judge Clarke said.

“There are other driving offences, including relevant court appearances, for driving over the general alcohol limit in May 2013 and for driving with a relevant drug was present in your saliva in April 2017.

“Over the past 20 years, your licence has been suspended nine times for non payment of fines, as it is again at present.

“It was also subjected to demerit points suspension in August last year.”

Crown prosecutor Ryan Godfrey aid the amount of meth in the defendant’s blood was almost double what is found in overdose deaths – Adams was 0.94 milligrams per one litre of blood and deaths attributed to the illicit substance are usually found with 0.5 milligrams or more.

Mr Godfrey said most traffic cases see meth levels between 0.1 and 0.2.

“(Adams’ drug use at the time) must have been a very high given the incredibly high tolerance that she’d built up,” Judge Clarke said.

“You were an accident waiting to happen.

“You simply should not have been driving.”

Mr Godfrey said the “radically” and “significantly reckless” driving behaviour was witnessed for about 20 kilometres, or 15-20 minutes in the 100km/hr zone, before her Ford Falcon crashed head-on into a Toyota LandCruiser on Peak Downs Mine Road, Winchester, about 6.15pm on June 16, 2021.

Mr Godfrey said the victim had left his workplace – Saraji Mine near Dysart – after his shift and was driving south on the road while Adams was travelling north.

He said Adams had swerved into the victim’s lane and “he simply saw a set of headlights”.

“He was unable to move due to the traffic around him … he could not swerve to the left as there was a tree, and to the right, there was oncoming traffic,” Mr Godfrey said.

“At the last second, he saw a gap in the oncoming traffic and tried to swerve to the right to avoid the collision, but it was at that stage the defendant’s car hit his.”

He said the lead up to the crash was captured on a mobile in one of the nearby cars.

Both the victim’s and the defendant’s cars were “catastrophically damaged”, with evidence showing bald front tyres on her vehicle.

Mr Godfrey said there were clip seal bags, scales and 0.3 grams of meth in Adams’ vehicle and 0.2 grams of meth found on her at Moranbah Hospital.

He said the victim sustained a chance fracture to his L2, causing nerve damage, neurological injury and bruising along his spine. He also suffered abrasions and bruises to his left leg, torso and face.

“It seems only a matter of good fortune there was not a greater tragedy caused here from your thoughtless, irresponsible, selfish and inherently dangerous conduct,” Judge Clarke said.

Mr Godfrey said Adams suffered significant injuries and could not be interviewed at the time.

Her injuries were fractures to her ribs, back, knee, foot and tailbone; along with a partially collapsed lung, spleen laceration and hernia to her right abdominal wall.

The court heard Adams was exposed to domestic violence and abuse growing up, and moved around with her truck driving father.

She has three adult children to three different fathers and has worked in a grocery store and as a manager.

Adams moved to Central Queensland in 2010 with her partner and claimed that was when she was introduced to meth, the court also heard.

She worked in hospitality until she was employed at a mine in Dysart in 2015, while still using drugs but “managing” her use to avoid detection through workplace safety tests.

Her relationship ended in 2020.

Judge Clarke sentenced Adams to 4.5 years prison, declared 35 days presentence custody as time served and set parole eligibility on August 11, 2024.

She was also disqualified from driving for five years.