Frankston truckie Rory Keats jailed in County Court for Boxing Day Coldstream fatality

A bolt of lightning struck just metres from a methed-up truckie moments before he ploughed into a car in a Boxing Day tragedy that left a husband widowed.

Rory Keats caused a fatal smash at Coldstream on Boxing Day, 2023. Picture: Supplied.

A truck driver wiped away tears as he was jailed over a fatal crash in which he was methed-up when he crashed into his victim’s car in the Yarra Valley.

Rory Keats, 44, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of nine months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury.

Lighting struck the Maroondah Highway just metres away from Keats as he was driving a medium rigid truck while high on meth during a thunderstorm on Boxing Day, 2023, the County Court heard on Friday.

A South Australian couple and their Victorian friend were giving way to traffic as they tried to turn into the Badger Brook Winery in Coldstream.

Keats took his eyes off the road for eight seconds, the court heard, and didn’t see the victim’s stationary Mazda in the right lane before hitting it at 66km/h.

The Mazda was shunted off the road and into nearby trees and Keats’ truck tipped over.

Rory Keats, 44, was jailed for 18 months over a fatal crash on the Maroondah Highway Coldstream. Picture: Google Maps.

A witness who was driving ahead of the collision said she heard what sounded like a “cannon going off” and looked in her rear view mirror to see Keats’ truck sliding on its side along the road.

A 62-year-old woman from Tranmere in South Australia died at the scene while her 63-year-old husband survived with non-life threatening injuries.

The third passenger, a 62-year-old Essendon man was rushed to hospital with critical injuries.

Mr Keats was not injured and stopped to assist emergency services at the scene.

Judge Wraight said there was nothing the court could do to address the “grief and pain” of the victim’s widowed husband.

Rory Keats. Picture: Supplied.

Keats wiped away tears in shame as his letter of remorse was read to the court.

“I’m so sorry for everything that happened,” he wrote.

“If I could reverse it I would … I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Judge Trevor Wraight said the court must send a message that those who drive dangerously would face “harsh penalties”.

If Keats had not pleaded guilty he would have been jailed for two years and three months with a non-parole period of 16 months.