Nathan Brian Teraki sentenced to seven years in jail after pleading guilty over car crash death of Les Huxham

The wife of a man killed in a car crash by a driver high on “poor man’s meth” has unleashed on the killer as he was jailed.

A grieving wife has spoken of the shattered lives left in the wake of a dangerous driver who killed her husband in a crash while affected by “poor man’s meth” in Central Queensland.

In delivering a powerful victim impact statement Gillian Huxham, the surviving wife of Les Huxham, directly addressed Nathan Brian Teraki who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance and went on to commit speeding offences after the fatal crash near Emerald on the Capricorn Hwy in October 2022.

Turning to Teraki Mrs Huxham told him his choices had killed her husband.

“When I close my eyes at night I see Les bleeding and broken in the back seat of the car, the force of your Nissan impacting the passenger side projected him into the rear seat,” she said.

“I see his broken body on the ground knowing that while he might have looked inside he was shattered to pieces.

“You caused this and I get to live this.”

Mr Huxham, whose family, friends and workmates filled the public galley, had been on a work trip from Northern Territory at the time of the crash.

Les Huxham, who died in a crash near Emerald, pictured with his wife Gillian – Photo Supplied

The family were in the process of moving back to Queensland after 14 years interstate.

“Nathan I want you to know the man Les was,” Mrs Huxham said again turning to the defendant.

“Les was an honest man who was hard working, he was family orientated. He was so loving.”

Mrs Huxham said the death had a devastating impact on their children and wider community as they struggled to deal with the grief and loss.

“I do not even recognise the person I am now because I lost her too the day you killed Les,” she said.

“So Nathan Teraki remember us. Remember us when you wake in the dead of night. Remember us when you wake every morning. And I will try not to remember you.”

The court heard Teraki set out for the long drive to work just before 5am and minutes later exhibited signs of fatigue driving across into the path of oncoming traffic before quickly correcting.

He pulled into a truck stop and waited for about two minutes before making the fateful decision to continue.

In the lead up to the crash at 6.39am he crossed onto the wrong side of the road nine times and veered off the side of the road ten times before correcting.

Nathan Brian Teraki pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while adversely intoxicated and one count of drug drive.

Mr Huxham was a passenger in an oncoming car and when the two vehicles were about 100m apart Teraki crossed into their lane forcing the other driver to sound his horn and then swerve onto the other side of the road

At this point Teraki swerved back into his lane colliding with Mr Huxham’s car.

Mr Huxham was jimmied out of the car with a crowbar by bystanders who performed CPR however he died at the scene. Teraki was not injured and apologised just after the crash.

Methamphetamine and THC, the active compound of cannabis, was found in his system.

Crown prosecutor Carla Ahern tendered a traffic history including nine offences since 2014. Since the offence he had been caught speeding twice and driven a defective vehicle, she said.

She sought a sentence of eight years imprisonment.

“Given the prolonged period of dangerous conduct while driving on a highway at 100km/h a penalty in to the order of three years will not adequately reflect the dangerousness,” she said

Teraki’s lawyer Andrew Scheiwe sought to distinguish the conduct of someone out partying the night before and his client’s decision “to go to work tired”

“This is just another day at work for Mr Teraki … he was told he needed to be out there and to do his job he hopped in and went out there,” he said. He said his client was microsleeping at the time of the crash.

The court heard he was working three jobs, had poor sleep and used “poor man’s meth” (prescription medication for ADHD) the day before to stay awake. His work trip was a six hour return journey.

Gillian Huxham speaks after the sentencing of Nathan Brian Teraki on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Mr Scheiwe said this occurred against a background of severe mental health including major depressive disorder which impaired his decision making and self mutilation.

“He’s devastated and does not have the capability to express the depths of sorrow for what he’s done,” he said.

“He cannot function with the guilt of what’s done. His self loathing is so consuming that he’s slowly pulling parts of his body off.”

Mr Scheiwe said his client’s marriage had broken down and he would likely be deported to his native New Zealand following his sentence which he suggested should be three to five years.

Newly appointed District Court judge Dzenita Balic took into account his early pleas of guilty, remorse, prejudicial background and limited traffic history.

Judge Balic said Mr Huxham was a great community member and family man whose death would be sorely felt by those who loved him. She said cars were like weapons.

“In fact a car is like a loaded weapon because it has the capacity to kill it quite easily,” Judge Balic said.

“And the circumstances of decision making that each and every individual goes through is a very important part of our ability to handle a loaded weapon. And you made a very fateful decision on this particular day.”

Teraki, who also pleaded guilty to driving with a drug in his system, was sentenced to seven years jail with a parole eligibility date of September 17, 2026.

He was disqualified from driving for four years and three months

Originally published as Nathan Brian Teraki sentenced to seven years in jail after pleading guilty over car crash death of Les Huxham