Damian McCurley jailed for fatal crash on NT highway
With booze, MDMA and cocaine running through his veins, a father-of-two climbed behind the wheel of his Ute before ploughing into a 20 year-old man who was simply trying to get to work.
A father-of-two who killed a man after getting behind the wheel with cocaine, MDMA and alcohol in his system will spend at least two years behind bars.
Last week, Damian McCurley, 33, was sentenced at the NT Supreme Court for a fatal car crash which killed a 20 year-old man near Humpty Doo on the morning of June 8, 2024.
The day before the tragedy, McCurley and his mates had been exploring the Marrakai Track by ATV and fishing for barramundi.
That evening, the group had dinner and alcoholic beverages before a mutual friend joined them with MDMA in-hand.
The court heard the group consumed the MDMA before McCurley got behind the wheel of his Mazda BT50 Ute in the early hours of the morning.
It would later be discovered that McCurley also had cocaine in his system.
At about 6am on June 8, McCurley was travelling down the Arnhem Highway towards Humpty Doo.
When McCurley entered the inside lane of a wide, sweeping bend along the Highway, a white Nissan Navara came into view driving along the outside of the bend.
At almost 100 km/h, McCurley crossed the median strip and careered into the Navara, which rolled at least once and struck a power pole.
The Navara’s 20 year-old driver was pronounced dead at 6.35am.
Meanwhile, McCurley escaped the carnage with injuries to his leg.
Blood samples taken from McCurley were sent to Brisbane for examination, which an expert would later tell the court showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.154 per cent.
It was also explained that McCurley’s MDMA reading was “considerably higher” than the level most commonly achieved by the drug’s users.
Conversely, the deceased man had not consumed any alcohol and was in bed by 8pm so he would be ready for his early morning shift.
Justice Stephen Southwood said McCurley bore a “high degree of moral culpability” for the tragedy.
“It is fair to say that the offender showed a selfish disregard or a degree of recklessness for the safety of other road users,” he said.
“(It) was an extremely dangerous thing for the offender to drive when so affected by drugs and alcohol, as the offender was, on this occasion.”
On June 7, 2025, McCurley pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle dangerously and causing death.
Before he was sentenced last week, McCurley’s productive work history was shared with the courtroom.
After finishing a boilermaker apprenticeship, he worked as a fly-in fly-out worker for a straight decade.
For a couple years he was involved in the construction of INPEX gas plant in Darwin before becoming the fabrication superintendent for KAEFER.
At KAEFER he was regarded as a “valued member” and held the role until he was brought into custody.
Justice Southwood noted the 20 year-old’s death had left a deep wound to those who loved him.
“The death of the deceased has caused great distress and hurt to the members of his family and friends,” he said.
“His mother told the court on the last occasion the matter was before the court, of the extent that his death had affected her and her family.”
Justice Southwood said it was “extremely well known” within the community not to consume alcohol and drugs and take to the road.
“It is important to impose a sentence that deters others from committing such offences in the future,” he said.
“I take into account that the offender is deeply sorry for what he has done, that he regrets what he has done and that otherwise he was of good character up until he committed this offence and he has a young family to support.”
For his plea of guilty, McCurley was given a 25 per cent discount.
He was sentenced to four years, six months imprisonment backdated to September 9, 2025.
