Drink drive killer Gavin Arthur Thomas Armstrong sent to jail in Taree court for repeat offending after fatal Burpengary, Qld smash

A repeat drink driver who spent more than three years in jail for running down and killing a traffic controller, a dad-of-three, has been caught over the limit again. Here’s what happened.

A drink driver with a shocking record – who spent more than three years in jail for ploughing into roadworks and killing a traffic controller and father-of-three – has been caught over the limit again.

Gavin Arthur Thomas Armstrong spent three-and-a-half years in a Queensland prison after being convicted of vehicular manslaughter in 2011 – two years after he smashed into roadworker Murray William Goodrich, killing him almost instantly.

Gavin Arthur Thomas Armstrong’s car after he struck and killed roadworker Murray Goodrich. File image.

Armstrong, now 43, was more than three times over the legal blood alcohol limit at the time.

Mr Goodrich’s triplet daughters gave heartbreaking evidence at Armstrong’s trial.

“A girl needs her father … to protect her and love her. I no longer have this,” Lauren Goodrich said at the time.

Brisbane’s Supreme Court heard Armstrong had already clocked up two convictions for drink driving when he drove his BMW sedan into a closed section of roadworks at Burpengary, north of Brisbane, about 10am on August 3, 2009.

Goodrich triplets whose father Murray William Goodrich was mown down and killed by repeat drink driver Gavin Arthur Thomas Armstrong.

Armstrong was driving at about 160km/h and his vehicle struck Mr Goodrich with such force he was forced up into the air and landed more than 30 metres away.

This week Magistrate Allison Hawkins said in Taree Local Court on Tuesday that she was “baffled” to see Armstrong, who now lives in the small town of Wingham, back in court for his fifth drink driving offence.

Armstrong cut off police when he drove straight through this roundabout at Wingham on April 12 this year while almost four times the legal limit on this occasion. Picture: Janine Watson/Mid-North Coast News

“This is a man who repeatedly puts the community in danger,” she said.

Armstrong’s lawyer Brooke Drinkwater said her client had a brain injury and longstanding problems with alcohol. She told the court there were plans in place for Armstrong to continue rehabilitation.

But Ms Hawkins was not convinced and said “there is no fixed plan, it sounds all very ‘gunna’ to me”.

Armstrong got behind the wheel of his blue Ford Ranger ute with his dog on board after drinking at a friend’s place at Wingham from about 4pm-10pm on April 12, court documents show.

Joanne and Murray Goodrich.

His ute travelled straight through a roundabout on Primrose St and Armstong failed to give way to police.

When officers pulled him over, Armstrong admitted to drinking that afternoon. He blew 0.193 – almost four times the legal limit.

Ms Hawkins said there had been a “reasonable gap” of four-and-a-half years since Armstrong’s last offence, but he was a “person who is not learning”.

When she indicated she would be sentencing Armstrong to time behind bars, his mother who was in the court supporting him broke down.

“I love you, Mum,” Armstrong said as guards led him away.

He was sentenced to one year and two months jail with an eight-month non parole period.

Armstrong will be eligible for parole release on March 29 next year.

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