A man who died in a head-on crash on the East Derwent Highway last year was doing 150km/h, not wearing a seatbelt and under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine.
Luke Johnstone was driving south on the highway at Lindisfarne on May 25, 2023, when he veered into the wrong lane and collided with a vehicle travelling north, Coroner Simon Cooper said.
The occupants of the other vehicle were fortunately only slightly injured, however Johnstone died at the scene from multiple injuries and severe fractures.
“It seems likely that Mr Johnstone saw a police car, stationary by the side of the highway, conducting speed checks a few kilometres north of where the crash happened,” Cooper said.
“It also seems likely that as a consequence of seeing that police vehicle he increased his speed even more. He had been detected speeding.”
Police initially said they did not initiate a pursuit of Johnstone, who was driving a silver Holden Barina, before the crash.
“The police unit continued in the same direction as the speeding vehicle and came across the crash scene a short time later, providing initial first aid alongside other witnesses until paramedics arrived,” Southern District Commander Jason Elmer said at the time.
The investigation found that police actions in the lead-up to and after the crash were “entirely appropriate” and that there were no suspicious circumstances.
Cooper said he was satisfied that weather conditions, mechanical defects or the road surface did not cause or contribute to the crash.
Although unrelated to the fatal crash, the speed limit on the East Derwent Highway was recently reduced from 70km/h to 60km/h at the request of locals.
