Zachary Anthony James Francisco jailed for possessing commercial quantity of methamphetamine

An ice user who caused a traffic crash while drug affected has been handed a long jail sentence after police found about $40,000 worth of methamphetamine in his backpack.

A Toowoomba man has been handed a lengthy jail sentence after he was caught with more than 84g of methamphetamine while on parole.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told Toowoomba Supreme Court that police located the drugs on Zachary Anthony James Francisco, 27, after he caused a traffic crash on September 15, 2023.

“That afternoon while driving a motorcycle on Pottinger St, he attempted to overtake a vehicle while it was making a right turn and he crashed into it,” Ms Friedewald said.

“He had been disqualified from driving by a court order and therefore did not hold a driver’s licence.”

Emergency services were called to the scene and it was while paramedics were treating him that police checks revealed Francisco was subject to an arrest warrant after he failed to attend Toowoomba Magistrates Court earlier that day.

Ms Friedewald told the court that police searched Francisco’s backpack and found about 84.57g of pure methamphetamine within about 109g of substance.

“That amount was broken down into two clip seal bags,” she said.

Police located about $1660 in cash, a rifle bolt, a small amount of ammunition and some medications.

A blood test later revealed Francisco was under the influence of methamphetamine when the crash occurred.

On Thursday he pleaded guilty to a raft of offences arising from the crash including possessing a schedule 1 drug over 2g, driving without due care and attention, possessing explosives and possessing false registration plates.

The court was told Francisco was on parole at the time of the crash with about 50 days left to serve on a previous jail term.

His parole was revoked and has been on remand since the September 15 crash.

Defence barrister Scott Lynch tended a bundle of reference letters, include one for his employed that stated he had a job waiting for him upon his release.

“The authors see great promise in him,” Mr Lynch said.

Justice Sean Cooper noted the seriousness of Francisco’s offending and took into account the 306 days he spent on remand.

He also noted that Francisco was drug addicted at the time of the crash and that drugs in his possession were for both personal use and commercial use.

Francisco was sentenced to four and half years in jail and will be eligible for parole on January 14, 2025.

Originally published as Zachary Anthony James Francisco jailed for possessing commercial quantity of methamphetamine