Timothy Wilson jailed for Stanwell ambulance crash, killing Maryborough nurse, Biloela patient

The shameful drug and driving history of an ex-con truck driver who slammed into the back of an ambulance killing two people has been revealed with the driver jailed, and not for the first time. FULL STORY

Inset: Timothy Lee Wilson, 43, pleads guilty over Stanwell ambulance fatal crash. Pictured is the truck he was driving the day of the crash - October 11, 2021.

Twenty-five seconds was all it took to kill two men, leaving another living a nightmare and destroying the lives of countless others.

In those 25 seconds, truck driver Timothy Lee Wilson failed to notice 10 signs that would have avoided the devastating tragedy on the Capricorn Highway near Stanwell, Crown prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence told Rockhampton District Court today.

Wilson, 43, drove a loaded septic truck 671m from the first sign – an 80km/hr roadworks sign – until he hit the brakes only 78m behind the ambulance with reflective lights on the back and had five men inside about midday on October 11, 2021.

Ms Lawrence said a sample of Wilson’s blood taken after the crash revealed he had minor traces of methamphetamines in his system – 0.08mg per litre.

The truck that hit the ambulance at Stanwell on October 11.

“GPS data revealed that the defendant was travelling at a speed of between 88.2 and 97.4km per hour at the time he struck the ambulance, forcing it off the road,” Ms Lawrence said.

“The sheer force of that impact caused the ambulance to be flown to the lefthand side of the road and onto the grass.

“The back of the ambulance crumpled and inside of it was... visible.”

Inside the vehicle were advanced paramedic Ashley O’Conner, who was driving ambulance, Biloela Hospital wardsman Noel Barry, patient Martyn House, 87, Maryborough nurse Ray Wyeth, 65, and a fifth man not identified during court proceedings.

Nurse Raymond Clifford Wyeth, (known as Ray) who died on October 11, 2021 in a car crash while transporting a patient in an ambulance. Source: Facebook

Mr Barry, who saw the truck speeding towards the ambulance, watched as Mr Wyeth was flung across the back of the ambulance.

“Ray’s body was crushed,” his widow Jennie told the court as she read out her victim impact statement, supported by her son and two brothers.

“I was never allowed to see him, touch him, hold him or say goodbye.”

Mr Barry, who worked for Queensland Health for 43 years and at Biloela for 18 years, said he still pictures Mr Wyeth in the emergency department at Biloela Hospital when he is cleaning and has to leave the room as soon as possible.

“Being in the hospital makes me constantly nervous,” he said.

Ms Lawrence said the stretcher Mr House was laying on was half out of the ambulance after the crash.

The damaged ambulance from the Stanwell crash.

Both men were declared dead at the scene and Wilson was flown to Rockhampton Hospital with a head injury.

Ms Lawrence said the 10 signs telling Wilson to slow down included the 80km sign, the 60km sign, the Prepare to Stop sign, the reflective material on the back of the ambulance, the Crawford’s B-double in front of the ambulance, the Easy Haul truck in front of it, the Emerald Carrying Company truck, two cars and a red stop light.

Judge Michael Byrne said evidence provided to the court, which included 10 pages of photos, showed that from the top of the crest before the 80km sign, there was “clear visibility upon what was a relatively straight passage of road on a clear day with no visible obstructions at least between Wilson and the ambulance”.

Judge Byrne said the meth, along with Wilson’s traffic history, were “an indication of his lack of regard for traffic laws”.

The court heard Wilson had two convictions for dangerous driving type offences in NSW in 1999 and 2001, two disqualified driving, one drink driving and one drug driving in 2017.

He was also deemed a habitual offender in NSW in 2003 which was quashed in Newcastle Local Court in December 2009 and four days later, he obtained a learner licence.

Wilson’s criminal record included convictions for drugs, firearms and a reckless wounding offence in 2019 for which he served time in prison.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown said one of Wilson’s bail conditions was that he could not drive, effectively meaning he has not been allowed to drive for the past two years.

Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing the deaths of Mr House and Mr Wyeth on February 26, 2024 – the day a second trial for the tragic incident was due to start.

The jury in the first trial, held in March 2023, was discharged after they were unable to reach a verdict.

Timothy Lee Wilson, leaving Rockhampton courthouse in 2022 after his indictment was presented in Rockhampton District Court.

Judge Byrne sentenced Wilson on April 15, 2024, to 4.5 years prison, declared 50 days presentence custody as time served and set parole eligibility for January 25, 2026.

He also disqualified Wilson from driving for three years from today.