Nathaim Luke Gibson in court for dangerous operation of a vehicle

A man’s life has been changed forever after he was severely injured in a high-speed crash on a Central Queensland highway that ‘damaged every panel’ of the vehicle.

RACQ Capricorn Rescue at the scene of a single-vehicle crash west of Dingo.

A man’s life has been changed forever after he was severely injured in a crash where he was the passenger in a vehicle driven by a drunk who sped along the Capricorn Highway between Emerald and Rockhampton, swerving into oncoming traffic and crashing into a ditch.

Nathaim Luke Gibson, 37, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on April 21 after pleading guilty in Emerald District Court on February 28 to one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing grievous bodily harm while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.

Crown prosecutor Brendan White said Gibson was driving from Emerald to Rockhampton along the Capricorn Highway on October 31, 2021 with a 40-year-old man, who was his cousin, and a woman.

Mr White said that about 6am, other drivers saw Gibson pull out onto the road, drift sideways and swerve on the road, crossing the centre lines into oncoming traffic.

He said about 10km outside Dingo, drivers saw the car crashed in a ditch on the opposite side of the road.

The court heard the car had rolled at least once and that every panel was damaged.

“The vehicle was thoroughly smashed,” Mr White said.

Mr White said the speedometer was frozen at 130km/h, which was 30km/h over the speed limit.

The court heard Gibson said he should not have been drinking and driving and the accident was his fault.

Mr White said Gibson had a blood-alcohol content reading of .189.

Gibson was taken to Blackwater Hospital with abdominal injuries and released that day.

Gibson’s cousin, who was in the passenger seat, was taken to Rockhampton Hospital with severe injuries.

Mr White said the man was semiconscious, had multiple lower limb open fractures, poor breathing, and that there was evidence of intra-abdominal bleeding.

“His spleen was removed,” he said.

He said the man was found to have a subarachnoid haemorrhage in the right parietal and temporal lobes, a spinal fracture, lower leg fractures, left ankle dislocation and facial fractures.

He was transferred to the ICU and later flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where he underwent surgery, including the insertion of screws and plates in his legs.

Mr White said the man had long term pain, anxiety and had been diagnosed with a moderate to severe cognitive-communication disorder.

“Without the treatment he would have died,” Mr White said

“He indicates that he doesn’t hold grudges and that he is processing the changes.”

The third person in the car had no serious injuries.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said her client grew up with his cousin and that they were quite close.

“He has seen him since this offending and has seen first-hand the effect this has had upon his cousin,” Ms Shaw said.

Ms Shaw said her client, who lived in Emerald, had turned to alcohol when he found he wasn’t able to process trauma he went through when he was a child.

She said her client had three children to a prior partner who lived interstate and that they broke up shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“He was unable to see those children for a very lengthy time,” she said.

“The break up resulted in him further developing his alcohol dependency.

“He has recognised that he needs to have a talk to someone and process what he went through as a child.”

Judge Jeff Clarke said it was a wonder that anyone survived.

“You selfishly chose to do what you did and put others and yourself in significant peril,” Judge Clarke said.

“You have changed your cousin’s life irrevocably.”

Judge Clarke sentenced Gibson to five years’ prison, suspended after serving 15 months.

Fifty-two days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served.

Gibson was also disqualified absolutely from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence.

Originally published as Nathaim Luke Gibson in court for dangerous operation of a vehicle