A man has been sentenced to jail after causing a devastating crash in Forest Lake last year while driving under the influence of cocaine and alcohol at extreme speeds.
Jacobus Devon Vanderkruk, 28, received a five-year jail sentence with suspension after 18 months when he appeared in Brisbane’s District Court on Thursday, 27 November. He was also disqualified from driving for five years.
The court heard Vanderkruk had been at a party when he offered to drive a friend’s Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG coupe to a bottle shop, taking three passengers with him.
Despite having consumed cocaine and alcohol, Vanderkruk drove at speeds between 120 km/h and 150 km/h along streets with 60 km/h speed limits. His frightened passengers asked him to slow down before the collision occurred.
The Mercedes collided with a Toyota LandCruiser being driven by a 52-year-old woman who was returning home. The impact was so severe that the Mercedes engine was torn from the vehicle’s chassis.
Four people sustained serious injuries in the crash. A 20-year-old female passenger lost a kidney, suffered spinal fractures and required partial colon removal. Two male passengers, both 22, sustained severe injuries including a torn lung, fractured ribs and sternum for one, and a broken arm for the other. The LandCruiser driver suffered ankle fractures, lung injuries and other trauma.
The court was told that at least three of the injured parties would have died without surgical intervention.
Vanderkruk tested positive for cocaine and had an estimated blood alcohol content of at least 0.08 at the time of the crash. He also sustained injuries, including a fractured femur, and has developed post-traumatic stress disorder.
Judge David Kent noted that Vanderkruk’s letter of apology was among the best he had seen and accepted that the defendant showed genuine remorse. Vanderkruk pleaded guilty early to charges including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while intoxicated, excessive speeding, and drink and drug driving.
The judge acknowledged that while Vanderkruk had a poor traffic history, a report indicated he posed a low risk of reoffending if he addressed his alcohol problems.
Published 27-November-2025
