Graham Squires jailed for killing John Cerezo, Catherine Camilleri

The man responsible for a fatal pile-up on a major motorway after he merged in front of a Mack truck has been sentenced to jail. Watch the dramatic footage.

The man responsible for a firey deadly collision after he merged in front of a Mack truck on a major motorway has been sentenced to jail.

Graham William Squires, 67, of Taree, was behind the wheel of a Ford Forrester on the M1 Motorway at West Wollongong on June 28 last year when he fatally cut off a truck as he changed lanes near the Figtree exit.

Squires arrives at Downing Centre District Court on Thursday. Picture: Damian Shaw

The driver of the truck, 42-year-old Albion Park man Jade Sinclair, braked to avoid a collision when a Mitsubishi Pajero, driven by Berkeley’s John Cerezo with his partner Catherine Camilleri, slammed into the back of the truck.

The Pajero was then hit from behind by an Isuzu truck which caused both vehicles to catch fire. The 47-year-old Isuzu driver, Girado Massey, was able to escape his vehicle without injury, but Ms Camilleri and Mr Cerezo were unable to do so, and were tragically incinerated in their vehicle.

The fiery scene of the crash.

Squires wasn’t aware of the fatal consequences until he was interviewed by police.

The court heard Squires was unaware of the fatal consequences of the collision until he was interviewed by police.

The District Court on Thursday heard of the palpable grief shared by the family and friends of the deceased, who did not have the chance to say farewell.

“The grief and shock of the nature of the death of their loved ones was obviously a significant matter for them,” Judge Stephen Norrish said.

John Cerezo and Catherine Camilleri.

The court heard Squires, who is the primary carer of his disabled adult son following the passing of his wife in recent years, had been travelling to Shoalhaven Heads for a week of respite after visiting his father-in-law in an Illawarra nursing home when the fatal collision occurred.

Graham Squires at an earlier court appearance.

When interviewed by police following the incident, he said he “didn’t know” how the crash had occurred, but that he was distraught.

“I’m devastated … I’m just devastated at what’s happened and to see that car on fire … I just went weak at the knees,” he could be heard saying in the video.

“I thought what the f**k is going on … it’s more than shock … like f***ing hell.”

Squires was convicted of two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and was sentenced to three years jail, with a non parole period of 12 months.