Reec Thiik Achiek jailed over death of Christopher James Goodwin

A coal truck driver has been jailed after his poor choices claimed the life of a beloved Pioneer Valley father, whose family have shared their “unbearable pain” in court.

Chris Goodwin (left) tragically died with the ute he was driving and a road train collided on Saraji Rd on Father's Day. He is pictured here with his wife Kylie Goodwin.

A coal truck driver had been jailed after his choice to ignore the “ticking time bomb” of his fatigue claimed the life of a beloved Pioneer Valley father, whose family have shared their “unbearable pain” in court.

Christopher James Goodwin, 45, lost his life while driving to work along Saraji Road, near Dysart, around 4.30am on Father’s Day 2023.

A 36 metre road train hauling 70 tonnes of coal had veered off the road and sharply overcorrected, causing the back trailer to roll over into oncoming traffic, a court has heard.

Mr Goodwin died en route to hospital after his vehicle was struck and dragged 20 metres up the road by the trailer, which then detached from the rest of the truck and came to rest.

His devastated wife Kylie faced truck driver Reec Thiik Achiek, 29, at his Brisbane District Court sentence on Thursday, telling him how his actions had “left a wake of devastation that will never be able to be healed”.

The “simple joys” of life shared with her “devoted husband” had changed “in an instant” on September 3, 2023, she said.

“My world shattered – I received the phone call that no wife should ever have to receive,” Ms Goodwin told the court.

“That moment is burned in my memory … I can’t stop seeing him trapped in a crushed car in agony, it haunts me every day.”

Chris Goodwin (right) tragically died with the ute he was driving and a road train collided on Saraji Rd on Father's Day. He is pictured here with his wife Kylie Goodwin.

Ms Goodwin said Father’s Days now brought about “unbearable pain” instead of love and gratitude.

“There’ll be no one to walk his daughters down the aisle, no one to cheer on when they graduate.”

“You didn’t just take a husband … you have destroyed the very core of our family.”

Achiek was forced to represent himself in court after his application for an adjournment was denied.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, and hung his head as seven victim impact statements written by the members of Mr Goodwin’s family were read aloud in court.

Achiek later broke down in tears – causing court to be adjourned for a short time – after recounting how the incident had plagued him with feelings of profound guilt and shame.

“I’ve been unable to return back to work due to my sleeping patterns, the memories. I break down with just everyday normal tasks,” he said.

Reec Thiik Achiek at an earlier court appearance. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Crown prosecutor Andrew Anderson told the court Thiek, a licenced professional heavy truck driver, had been working a night shift since 6pm the night before the crash and had taken a 30 minute break in the early hours of morning after fatigue monitoring devices picked up his fatigue.

Thiek had informed his supervisor he was fit to drive after taking the break, and then “ignored the telltale signs” of fatigue as he was captured yawning and blinking slowly within five minutes of being back on the road, the court was told.

Mr Anderson said video from inside the vehicle had also captured Thiek on his phone for nearly two minutes, clearly demonstrating a “disregard” to the standard of caution expected of heavy vehicle driver.

“The deadly potential force of 70 tonnes of coal being transported at speed is an obvious risk and why it required special licences and special care,” Mr Anderson said.

Mr Anderson submitted that Achiek should receive a sentence of no less that three-and-a-half years in jail given his “complete abandonment” of his responsibilities as a heavy vehicle driver.

The horror crash on Saraji Rd on Father's Day, September 3, claimed the life of beloved husband and father Chris Goodwin.

He noted Achiek had also been fined in January 2024, just months after the crash, for driving a motorcycle over 40km above the speed limit in a Brisbane suburb.

Achiek told the court he had a new motorcycle at that time and was “adjusting,” as he “couldn’t be in a car”.

“It just gave me too much that I couldn’t handle,” he said.

Achiek had no criminal history and had grown up in Toowoomba after his family fled from South Sudan as refugees, the court was told.

He raised no objection to all seven victim impact statements being read in court, saying he had already read each of them multiple times.

Mr Goodwin’s youngest daughter recounted in court how she had been “jolted awake” by the sound of her mother’s wailing on the morning of the crash.

“It was the kind of sound that will forever echo in my mind,” she said.

She described her father as the “calm in the storm” of the family, and lamented how the trauma of losing her father had “stolen so many memories” with him.

Mr Goodwin’s wife Kylie (right) and their two daughters (centre) attended Brisbane District Court for the sentencing of truck driver Reec Thiik Achiek on April 24th 2025. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Her older sister shared how she still felt a “pang of guilt” at every achievement and milestone she reached without her father there to share it with her.

She labelled the crash as a “senseless tragedy” and expressed anger that Achiek got to “keep living while we live every single day with this gaping loss”.

Mr Goodwin’s mother Josephine’s statement recounted how he “had this incredible way of lighting up a room with his infectious energy,” while his brother Terry’s statement labelled him the “heart and soul” of the family.

Judge Carl Heaton sentenced Achiek to five years in jail, to be suspended after he serves 18 months in actual custody.

He acknowledged Achiek’s references spoke of him as “calm, thoughtful, respectful, and concerned for the welfare of others”.

Judge Heaton said after reading Achiek’s letter of apology and watching his face during the victim impact statements, he accepted Achiek was genuinely remorseful.

But he said motor vehicles were “deadly weapons” in the hands of reckless drivers, and Achiek’s failure to recognise his fatigue was “no momentary misjudgment”.

“On this morning you were a ticking time bomb … you cannot have failed to realise that,” Judge Heaton said.

“You ignored your responsibilities as a driver of a heavy vehicle with catastrophic consequences.”

Achiek’s licence was disqualified indefinitely.