Guy Sean Leigh Gallagher pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death

A brave mother’s powerful message for the parolee driver who caused her teen daughter’s death left them both in tears as a court heard of a horror driving history and tragedy just waiting to happen.

“Her life had just begun. Her hopes and dreams were ripped from her in that moment.”

These haunting words were shared by the mother of beloved crash victim Chelsea Maddox as faced the driver who caused the crash that caused her daughter’s death.

Guy Sean Leigh Gallagher pleaded guilty in the District Court on Friday to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and leaving the scene without obtaining help.

The court heard Gallagher, who was 27 when he caused a white Ford Falcon to hit a power pole on Albert St, Maryborough on February 19, 2023, was driving 98km/h in a 60km zone.

When he fled the scene strangers tried to save Chelsea but she later died in hospital.

In heartbreaking details shared with the court, Judge Carl Heaton said the 19-year-old had been found in the footwell on the passenger side of the vehicle in the wake of the crash, with her head resting on the seat.

At the time of the crash, Gallagher was still technically a learner driver.

Chelsea Maddox, pictured before her tragic death, with mum, Tanya.

Judge Heaton said it was not Gallagher’s first brush with dangerous driving.

He said in a separate incident in October, 2019, police had tried to stop Gallagher in the car park of Maryborough’s White Lion Hotel.

Gallagher had driven away, almost colliding with a vehicle that had to take evasive action.

He then accelerated through the car park to the drive thru bottle shop, narrowly missing customers along with another vehicle before swerving to avoid a collision with a parked car and drove over the kerb and into the busy intersection of John and Walker St, then going through a red traffic light, Judge Heaton said.

Gallagher had been sentenced for that, along with other offences, in Maryborough on June 2, 2020.

He had later been released on parole, but had then committed another offence, assault occasioning bodily harm, and had been dealt with in court in Bundaberg.

Guy Sean Leigh Gallagher faces seven charges, including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and leaving the scene.

He was released on parole on November 9, 2022, and was still subject to reporting when he caused the crash that killed Chelsea.

Judge Heaton said in the aftermath of the crash that killed Chelsea, Gallagher had been captured on CCTV footage.

He had climbed out of the car and ran a short distance away, he said.

Gallagher then returned and looked into the car, yelling unintelligibly and looked agitated, Judge Heaton said.

He looked in the car again, but then he saw a bystander calling emergency services.

Gallagher then ran down the street and through backyards of residences nearby, leaving the bystander to check on the welfare of Chelsea who still had a pulse but was struggling to breathe.

An off-duty nurse and emergency services arrived to provide treatment.

Judge Heaton said Gallagher had left the victim to the “kindness of strangers” out of his own self-interest, fearing apprehension by police.

He gave Gallagher a nine-year jail sentence with parole eligibility in three years and disqualified him absolutely from driving.

A silent protest gets held outside Hervey Bay court in honour of Chelsea Maddox.

Chelsea’s family read their victim impact statements to the court on Friday, with Gallagher, who appeared via videolink, seen wiping away tears at times during his sentencing.

In her heart-wrenching victim impact statement, Chelsea’s mum, Tanya Petersen said her daughter was a vibrant, happy, caring and compassionate person, “our girl with the big heart”.

“She was only 19-years-old when this tragedy happened,” she said.

“She’d had many dreams and a passion for life.”

Ms Petersen said Chelsea would have been “the best mother”, as evidenced by the love and bond she shared with her nephew.

She said Chelsea had brought joy and laughter to everyone she met, had an energy that was hard to match, and her loss had left an irreparable void in her family.

“To have her life ripped from her in this way because of the senseless and reckless actions of Guy Gallagher is beyond cruel.

“The pain of losing Chelsea is indescribable.”

A silent protest gets held outside Hervey Bay court in honour of Chelsea Maddox.

“On February 19, 2023, the phone call came.

“We’d not long spoken to Chelsea, so how was this real?

“That day, that call, tarnished our lives forever.”
Ms Petersen said her daughter had been the “light of the family” with her infectious laugh and beautiful smile.

“She was so loving and kind.”

Ms Petersen said no family should have to go through that pain due to someone else’s recklessness.

She said his decision to flee the scene without “any regard or care for Chelsea” was incomprehensible to her family.

Gallagher’s only thought had been not being caught,” Ms Petersen said.

“He did not come forward. He did not hand himself in. He had no remorse whatsoever,” she said.

Chelsea’s older sister Jaymee Maddox also addressed the court.

“Chelsea had such a big personality a huge heart, a big smile and lit up any room she entered,” she said.

Her sister was her biggest supporter, best friend and a dedicated aunty, Ms Maddox said.

Watching her family grieve was hard.

“My parents are broken. Our family will never be the same again,” she said.

“Life without her doesn’t make much sense.”

Speaking outside the court on Friday, Ms Petersen said she didn’t think she’d be able to bring herself to read the victim impact statement, but she’d done it for her daughter.

Holding a necklace containing her daughter’s ashes, Ms Petersen said she knew her daughter had given her the strength.

Four families join forces to buy and restore beloved country pub

Bungles and sackings: Qld Health’s list of failures over the years

Originally published as Guy Sean Leigh Gallagher pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death