South Australian truckie sentenced over horror crash at Portland

Peter Buckley, 62, was jailed on Tuesday for 11 years with a non-parole period of nine years.

Buckley was found guilty of culpable driving causing death and four counts of negligently causing serious injury in June after just 20 minutes of jury deliberations.

The charges relate to a fatal collision on the Portland-Nelson Road near the intersection of Westlakes Road about 2.30pm on March 14, 2018.

Buckley was driving a fully-loaded log truck when he blacked out and collided with three stationary vehicles at roadworks, killing 56-year-old Mary Driver from the United Kingdom and seriously injuring four other people, including Mrs Driver's husband Marcel.

In sentencing, Judge Claire Quin said Buckley's moral culpability was high given he was fully aware of his medical issues which he chose not to disclose to the relevant authorities out of fear of losing his licence.

"You had at least a period of months if not years to disclose the extent of your medical issues," she said.

"The regulatory requirements under which you were operating were to provide a mechanism for the protection of other road users to ensure that those who have control of vehicles like a prime mover are responsible and honest in their disclosure of their capacity and health.

"You were not in this instance and there were dire consequences."

Judge Quin she said she had read 12 victim impact statements, including from those injured in the crash and the husband and children of Mrs Driver.

"The statements express deep sentiments and serve as a reminder of the grief endured by adult children without their mother in experiences and in occasions in their lives," she said.

"Similar emotions are expressed by siblings who have lost their sister and most poignantly by a husband who has lost his wife."

The judge, reading from Mr Driver's victim impact statement, said: "The time we promised each other together and earned over a lifetime of toil was ripped from us in a second. Every family celebration we have is a reminder of your loss."

The judge said Mrs Driver died from her injuries suffered in the horror crash, including bleeding on the brain and a spinal fracture.

She said those injured in the incident suffered wounds ranging from fractured ribs to lacerated livers and a spinal ligament injury requiring surgery.

Buckley has already served 354 days in custody on remand. His driver's licence was disqualified for six years.

READ MORE: 'Warm, witty and wise': Mary Driver killed in horror crash at Portland North

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