How Graham Squires’s driving killed John Cerezo, Catherine Camilleri
Dramatic footage has shown how a Taree man’s dangerous driving triggered a horrific crash on the M1 motorway, which killed a Berkeley couple.
Illawarra Star
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A jury has found a Taree man guilty of two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death over his involvement in a fatal, fiery crash on the M1 Motorway at West Wollongong last year.
The jury took less than a day to deliberate on the case, finding Graham Squires guilty of the charges after a three-day trial.
Squires’s trial began on Monday, after he pleaded not guilty to the charges, following the crash on June 28 last year, which caused the death of Berkeley couple John Cerezo and Catherine Camilleri.
It was the Crown’s case that the deadly chain of events was triggered after Squires cut a Mack truck off as he changed lanes near the Figtree exit. The Crown said the driver of the truck, 42-year-old Albion Park man Jade Sinclair, braked to avoid a collision when Mr Cerezo’s Mitsubishi Pajero 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 defence argued while Squires may have “misjudged” the space he had to merge on June 28 last year, his driving was not enough to constitute the dangerous driving charge.
However, the jury decided otherwise, finding Squires’s manner of driving that day was dangerous.
During the trial, horrific dashcam footage of the crash was played to the court, showing Squires merge into the front of the truck.
Squires’s interview with police following the incident was also played to the court, where he told officers he was the sole carer for his disabled adult son, and that he was on respite at the time.
He’d been visiting his father-in-law before the crash and was headed back to Shoalhaven Heads Tourist Park where he was staying.
During the interview, Squires told police he “didn’t know” how the crash had occurred, but that he was distraught.
“I’m devastated … im 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 … its more than shock … like f***ing hell.”
Squires will remain on bail while he awaits his December 11 sentencing.