A New Zealand truck driver sentenced to 3.2 years in prison for a fatal crash caused by methamphetamine use that killed a 65-year-old man.

A 43-year-old truck driver, Jeremy Anthony Lee, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for causing a fatal crash in Waimate, New Zealand, on September 11, 2024, that killed 65-year-old Alan George Weir. Lee, who had nearly double the legal limit of methamphetamine in his system, veered across the center line on Merrys Stream Bridge, colliding with Weir’s car and causing a fire. Weir died at the scene. Lee, on parole with a ban on drugs, admitted to dangerous and drug-impaired driving. His family described him as a loving husband and grandfather, with his wife and daughters sharing emotional impact statements about the lasting grief and trauma. Judge Hermann Retzlaff cited Lee’s culpability as moderate to high, noting the extreme drug levels and the severe harm caused. Lee had a history of methamphetamine dependency and was seeking treatment. The maximum penalty for the offense is 10 years in prison.