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Two people died in the January collision near Epsom after a driver crossed double lines and crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle
A coroner has found that drug impairment was the main cause of a fatal crash on the Peak Downs Highway near Mackay that claimed the lives of two people earlier this year.
The crash occurred shortly after 10pm on January 20, 2026, near Epsom. Jessica May Homewood, 39, was travelling west when her vehicle crossed double centre lines and collided head-on with a ute travelling in the opposite direction.
The other driver, 49-year-old Ashley William Schultz, was returning towards Mackay after completing a seven-day shift at the Moranbah North coal mine. Both drivers died as a result of the collision.
Northern Coroner Wayne Pennell has now released findings into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The findings concluded that the crash was a tragic but explainable traffic collision and that the incident was not considered a mining-related death.
Investigators found that Homewood had consumed significant quantities of illicit substances before the crash. Testing identified methylamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine in her system. The evidence indicated that the combination of drugs significantly impaired her ability to drive safely.
The investigation found no evidence that Schultz had contributed to the collision. He was sober and was travelling as part of his normal journey home after work.
Evidence from the crash indicated that Schultz attempted to avoid the approaching vehicle. Homewood's vehicle, however, continued across the centre lines and struck the ute head-on.
The coroner also considered Homewood's movements earlier that evening. She had been in Mackay undertaking work-related errands before visiting a local sports bar with her partner. The pair later spent time near the beach before she began driving.
The findings provide further details about what happened in the moments and hours before the fatal collision. They also highlight the potentially devastating consequences of driving while heavily impaired by drugs.
Because the crash involved a worker returning from a mining shift, investigators considered whether it should be treated as a mining-related fatality. The coroner determined that it did not meet the requirements for a mandatory public inquest.
For the Mackay community, the findings bring further clarity to a crash that resulted in the deaths of two people and had a significant impact on their families.
The case also serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with drug-impaired driving, particularly on regional highways where vehicles travel at high speeds and collisions can have catastrophic consequences.
The coroner's findings were released on September 11, providing the latest official account of the January crash.
CrashCoronerFindingsCollisionHomewood
A coroner has found that drug impairment was the main cause of a fatal crash on the Peak Downs Highway near Mackay that claimed the lives of two people earlier this year.
The crash occurred shortly after 10pm on January 20, 2026, near Epsom. Jessica May Homewood, 39, was travelling west when her vehicle crossed double centre lines and collided head-on with a ute travelling in the opposite direction.
The other driver, 49-year-old Ashley William Schultz, was returning towards Mackay after completing a seven-day shift at the Moranbah North coal mine. Both drivers died as a result of the collision.
Northern Coroner Wayne Pennell has now released findings into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The findings concluded that the crash was a tragic but explainable traffic collision and that the incident was not considered a mining-related death.
Investigators found that Homewood had consumed significant quantities of illicit substances before the crash. Testing identified methylamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine in her system. The evidence indicated that the combination of drugs significantly impaired her ability to drive safely.
The investigation found no evidence that Schultz had contributed to the collision. He was sober and was travelling as part of his normal journey home after work.
Evidence from the crash indicated that Schultz attempted to avoid the approaching vehicle. Homewood's vehicle, however, continued across the centre lines and struck the ute head-on.
The coroner also considered Homewood's movements earlier that evening. She had been in Mackay undertaking work-related errands before visiting a local sports bar with her partner. The pair later spent time near the beach before she began driving.
The findings provide further details about what happened in the moments and hours before the fatal collision. They also highlight the potentially devastating consequences of driving while heavily impaired by drugs.
Because the crash involved a worker returning from a mining shift, investigators considered whether it should be treated as a mining-related fatality. The coroner determined that it did not meet the requirements for a mandatory public inquest.
For the Mackay community, the findings bring further clarity to a crash that resulted in the deaths of two people and had a significant impact on their families.
The case also serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with drug-impaired driving, particularly on regional highways where vehicles travel at high speeds and collisions can have catastrophic consequences.
The coroner's findings were released on September 11, providing the latest official account of the January crash.
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