A 20-year-old man was nearly three times over the legal blood alcohol limit when he crashed his ute into a tree in northern Tasmania last year, killing him instantly.
Owen Robert Hammersley lost control of his Nissan Navara on Lalla Road on August 8, 2024, after failing to negotiate a left-hand bend.
He had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.149. The legal limit in Tasmania is 0.05.
Coroner Simon Cooper found speed was also likely a contributing factor in the crash about 21 kilometres north-east of Launceston.
“Yet again and tragically, a young person has died on our roads as a result of driving after consuming a considerable amount of alcohol,” Cooper said in his findings.
The coronial investigation ruled out other potential causes including mechanical failure, road defects and weather conditions.
Cooper said Hammersley died at the scene from “massive, catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries”.
“I convey my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr Hammersley,” the coroner said.
