Dylan Henry Wallace sentenced after Sarina head-on collision

A teen has permanent metal plates and screws in his body while a 70-year-old man is recovering from multiple fractures after a P-plater caused a chain reaction of crashes at a T-intersection.

An “extremely fair” victim-impact statement has helped keep a 21-year-old drug driver out of jail after he caused a head-on crash in Sarina.

Dylan Henry Wallace pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm, as well as drug-driving, when he failed to give way on the corner of Eversleigh and Garrett Rd.

Prosecutor David Epstein told Sarina Magistrates Court the provisional driver was distracted while driving down Garrett Rd about 5.30pm on October 9, 2021.

He said Wallace was driving a Nissan Pulsar when his attention was drawn to an approaching car.

Mr Epstein said the pulled focus resulted in him hitting a Toyota Hilux — that was carrying a 17-year-old driver and two 16-year-old passengers — driving south on Eversleigh Road.

Mr Epstein said the crash caused the Hilux to veer into the opposite lane on Eversleigh Rd, causing a head-on collision with a Holden utility travelling north.

Dylan Henry Wallace pleaded guilty to drug-driving as well as driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm after a car crash in Sarina. Picture: Matthew Forrest

The 17 year old suffered a broken collarbone, broken tibia, broken fibula, nerve damage in his right big toe and whiplash from the crash.

He had plates and screws permanently inserted into his right collarbone, as well as a rod and screws inserted from his knee to ankle that will be removed in 2022.

The 70-year-old driver of the Holden suffered three cracked ribs, a broken sternum, a fracture bone in his hand, as well as multiple lacerations.

Wallace did not suffer any injuries, and the grievous bodily harm aggravation to his careless driving charge only applied to the 17 year old.

After the crash, Wallace tested positive to having marijuana in his system.

Solicitor Robyn Cathcart said it was “momentary inattention” rather than drug-induced driving that caused the crash, to which Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan agreed.

Wallace’s attention was on an approaching car, which resulted in him hitting a Toyota Hilux that was carrying a 17-year-old driver and two 16-year-old passengers. Picture: Matthew Forrest

Ms Hartigan said Wallace was lucky to have an “extremely fair” victim-impact statement from the 17 year old driver he injured.

“He (the victim) suffered significant injuries … he was in a wheelchair for six weeks and on crutches for another five weeks, and for five months he was unable to work,” she said.

“He’s a boilermaker apprentice and he only began that in January 2021 and you really wrecked the start of that for him … he’s $9000 out of pocket for the injuries you caused him.

“His victim-impact statement is extremely fair to you, sometimes one sees comments such as ‘this person has ruined my life, I’ll never be the same again’.

“He doesn’t do anything like that.”

Wallace escaped a jail sentence. He was fined $500, ordered to perform 240 hours of unpaid community service and was disqualified from driving for nine months.

A conviction was not recorded.

Originally published as Dylan Henry Wallace sentenced after Sarina head-on collision