A Supreme Court judge has labelled a Townsville man as "reckless in the extreme" after he drove at speed into a line of traffic while high on methylamphetamine.
The crash on June 23, 2021, at Mutarnee, north of Townsville, killed 26-year-old Bushland Beach woman Holly May Stewart and 23-year-old Atherton man Daniel Graham Mitchell.
Ayden John McLennan, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and one count of possessing a dangerous drug in the Supreme Court in Townsville on Wednesday.
Ms Stewart and Mr Mitchell were parked in the southbound lane of the Bruce Highway between Ingham and Townsville when McLennan crashed his Toyota into their cars.
Ms Stewart died instantly and Mr Mitchell, who was standing on the road, died within minutes of the crash.
Crown Prosecutor Andrew Walklate told the court the traffic, stopped at the scene of an earlier fatal crash, was "highly visible" with pictures proving both victims had their hazard lights on.
McLennan drove towards the traffic "at speed" using high beams.
"Various witnesses report [the vehicle] was revving and that did not change, nor did it break or swerve, right to the impact," Mr Walklate said.
He added that the damage to Ms Stewart's car was "catastrophic".
Drugs involved
The court heard that police spoke to McLennan immediately after the crash and found him to be "disorientated" as he asked officers, "Did I fall asleep?"
Mr Walklate said McLennan was hunched over a bush, where police later found a clip seal bag containing more than 24 grams of methylamphetamine near a bag of needles.
Prosecutors alleged McLennan tried to hide the drugs and utensils, but that was refuted by his defence barrister Justin Greggery, QC.
McLennan returned a sample that showed he had methylamphetamine in his blood at the time of the crash.
Families shattered
In a victim impact statement submitted to the court, Erica Stewart, spoke of how her two grandchildren Myah and Theo looked for their mother Holly "every day".
"They will lack for nothing, but nothing can replace a mother," she wrote.
"It is like constantly feeling homesick for a place that doesn't exist anymore."
Millisha-Maree Salvemini wrote that she would "never be the same" after the loss of her brother Daniel.
"A stranger's choice stole our family's hopes and dreams," she said.
Mr Greggery told the court that McLennan had indicated the day after the fatal crash that he intended to plead guilty to charges of manslaughter.
A psychiatrist's assessment of McLennan found his remorse and regret about the incident was apparent.
'Reckless in the extreme'
Justice David North said McLennan's criminal and traffic history was "significant".
"You have a considerable and concerning history of disobeying court orders, driving while disqualified, driving whilst [under the influence of alcohol] and drug offending," he said.
He questioned McLennan's failure to stop before the crash.
"There was no reason for a driver, exercising average skill and usual caution, not to have slowed in time to have come to a stop," he said.
"The fact that your vehicle was able to maintain its place on the highway for a considerable distance strongly suggests to me that you were in control.
"Why you failed to stop in time may never be known."
Justice North sentenced McLennan to nine years in prison on each of the two manslaughter charges, to be served concurrently.
"Reckless in the extreme."
He was also sentenced to 20 months for possessing a dangerous drug.
No parole date was set by the court, but McLennan will be eligible to apply once he had served half of his sentence.
