A Tasmanian man with six previous drink-driving convictions has been jailed for two years after causing a head-on collision that left a young woman with permanent injuries.
Daniel Vincent Gardiner, 39, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving after the November 2021 crash in Smithton.
The Supreme Court of Tasmania heard Gardiner had consumed 11 beers and a shot of alcohol before getting behind the wheel of his Landcruiser about 8:30pm.
He was travelling at an estimated 80-90km/h in a 50km/h residential zone when he failed to navigate a curve on Goldie Street, crossing into oncoming traffic.
His vehicle struck a Ford Courier driven by an 18-year-old man, with the man’s 15-year-old brother and 26-year-old cousin as passengers.
The female passenger suffered severe injuries including a fractured elbow requiring multiple surgeries, a fractured rib, internal bleeding and nerve damage.
She was airlifted to Royal Hobart Hospital and spent five days in care.
“My entire life has been turned sideways by this crash,” she said in her victim impact statement.
“It has profoundly affected ever[y] aspect of my life for the past three and a half years and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.”
Justice Tamara Jago said Gardiner’s behaviour after the crash showed a “high level of moral culpability”.
The court heard Gardiner attempted to reverse and flee the scene, then falsely blamed the other driver when brought back by members of the public.
“This c—t was on the wrong side of the road,” he told police, later suggesting his mother had been driving.
He refused to provide a blood sample for alcohol analysis despite police warnings.
Justice Jago noted Gardiner’s “appalling” driving history, which included a 2011 drink-driving offence with a blood alcohol reading of 0.404 – more than eight times the legal limit.
“… It is quite frankly astounding that you would again consider it acceptable to drive a motor vehicle when you had spent the afternoon at a hotel consuming alcohol,” she said.
“When you fell back into the pattern of driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol, you did it in a drastic way and there were serious consequences which flowed from your decision to drive.”
The court heard Gardiner had since reduced his drinking and maintained employment at a workplace with random alcohol testing.
He paid $6,500 compensation to the driver for vehicle damage in 2022.
Justice Jago suspended six months of the two-year sentence, noting positive changes but emphasising the need for strong deterrence.
Gardiner was also disqualified from driving for 18 months after his release and faces additional penalties for refusing the blood test.
