A driver has been jailed for the death of prominent wool grower Trevor Picker in a multi-vehicle car crash near Binda in 2019.
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Blake Robert Meers, 26, of Crookwell, was sentenced at Goulburn District Court on April 30.
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Meers had previously pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving occasioning death, drive vehicle with illicit drug present in blood, and three charges of cause bodily harm by misconduct while in charge of a motor vehicle.
He received an aggregate sentence of four years and nine months imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years and six months. Meers' licence was disqualified for 18-months from his day of release.
A witness recorded Meers' driving before the collision. Story continues below.
Judge Mark Williams applied a 25 per cent discount on the sentence due to Meers' guilty plea.
"No life can ever be equated with a prison term, no sentence could ever restore Trevor Picker," he said.
"The loss of life on the road has serious consequences.
"While there is clear evidence of remorse, it cannot be said the offence is out of character."
Crown prosecutor Green argued Meers had a "high degree of moral culpability".
"The offender collided with three cars causing injuries and death," she said.
"Each of the cars were coming in the opposite direction. [Meers] continued his pattern of driving and didn't stop after hitting each car."
She presented to the court that phone records, obtained by NSW Police, revealed a "high degree of activity" on Meers' phone prior to the crash. She said the last phone use was recorded 14 seconds before the first crash.
She said the cannabis found in his system was a "relevant factor".
Defence solicitor Dean Rutherford conceded full time imprisonment was the only outcome.
He argued the phone records didn't show "if [Meers] was on his phone or listening to music".
Judge Williams told the court police facts had shown that at 4:50pm on June 7, 2019 Meers was seen driving along Junction Point Road near Binda. He said Meers was the sole occupant of a Nissan Patrol and holder of a provisional licence
Judge Williams said the offender was driving in a southerly direction while three cars were headed in the opposite direction.
He presented to the court that Meers' caused his vehicle to cross the dividing line and collided with the other vehicles, injuring a 64-year-old woman, a 69-year-old and 57-year-old husband and wife, and 91-year-old Mr Picker.
"[The defendant] took no evasive action after the first collision and went on to hit more cars," the judge said.
He said after the crash Mr Picker was conscious but trapped in his vehicle, and went into cardiac arrest after paramedics removed him.
"At the scene of the collision [Meers] was seen to be quite agitated," the judge said.
He presented to the court that Meers had told police upon his arrest on December 1, 2019 that he "couldn't recall the collision" and his last recollection was leaving work from Goulburn.
"His car had been seen by other drivers [before the crash] driving quite erratic.
"A witness recorded a video where he was observed driving on the wrong side of the road, swerving onto the shoulder of the road and impacting railings."
Judge Williams said Meers' speed was observed by the witness, slowing down to 50km/h and then speeding up to 100km/h.
He said the subjective case, put forward by the defence, was accepted with "a degree of caution".
The judge told the court that over the past six months Meers had been diagnosed with mental health issues including anger issues, reactive depression, anxiety and adult ADHD.
He said Meers had complained of "flashbacks and insomnia" as well as "panic attacks about his impending incarceration".
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