Grafton man pleads guilty to manslaughter over crash that killed two

South Grafton man James Cook has pleaded guilty to manslaughter over a fiery fatal crash on the Pacific Highway that killed two people in 2018.

A South Grafton man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter over a fatal crash south of Grafton in 2018. Photo: Frank Redward.

A South Grafton man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of two people who were killed in a fiery crash south of Grafton in 2018.

James Kevin Cook appeared in Grafton Local Court on Tuesday via audiovisual link where his lawyer confirmed the large number of matters his client was facing were ready to be committed for sentence.

Cook remained motionless as the guilty pleas were confirmed to the charges, including two counts of manslaughter, reckless grievous bodily harm, possession of a loaded firearm and supplying a prohibited drug.

Court documents reveal that on the night of December 9, 2018 there was a disagreement between Cook and two other men before two vehicles were seen driving erratically on the Pacific Highway about 20km south of Grafton.

The scene of a fatal crash south of Grafton which killed two people on December 9, 2018. Photo: Frank Redward.

According to the documents Cook used a firearm and his Holden Commodore to force a silver Mitsubishi Lancer off the roadway which crashed through a fence, rolled, then caught fire.

Daniel Elliott, 42, a Nomads gang member from Grafton, and his associate, 29-year-old Jared Ward from Tucabia, died at the scene and a 39-year-old woman, who was also in the vehicle, had to be flown to the Gold Coast.

Daniel Elliott, 42, a member of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang, was killed in a car crash at Glenugie on Sunday, December 9 , 2018.

Following the NSW Police established Strike Force Kiowa to investigate the incident and in July 2019 Cook was arrested and charged with murder in July last year where a loaded firearm was allegedly found and seized.

In court on Tuesday two murder charges were withdrawn and dismissed following the guilty pleas to the manslaughter charges.

During the investigations of the two deaths, court documents reveal that strike force investigators identified a significant drug supply syndicate in the Grafton and South Grafton areas.

Following the guilty pleas, magistrate Kathy Crittenden committed the matter for a sentence hearing to be held in Coffs Harbour District Court, with a date to be set on April 28.