'Heavily intoxicated' driver was speeding before crash that killed 9yo, court told

Family of nine-year-old boy killed while riding e-bike describe trauma in court as drink driver awaits sentence Tue 9 Jun 2026 at 5:18pm In short: Family members of a nine-year-old boy killed by a drink driver have told a court of the trauma they experienced. Keith Andrew Chambers, then aged 47, had a blood alcohol content more than three times the legal limit at the time of the crash at Robina in 2024. What's next? He will be sentenced at a later date when the matter returns to court. The mother of a child killed while riding an e-bike said the drink driver's name was "etched" into her brain "like cancer" after she had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off her son's life support. Nine-year-old Aiden Guimaraes was riding an e-bike with his father, David Guimaraes, when Keith Andrew Chambers mounted a kerb and crashed into them in a bike lane in Robina on the Gold Coast in October 2024. Chambers was "heavily intoxicated" and travelling up to 134km/h in a mini-van — over 64km over the speed limit — at the time, Brisbane's Supreme Court heard on Tuesday. The boy's mother, Andrea Guimaraes, was riding a separate e-bike with the couple's other son and witnessed the crash. She told the court she was forced to turn off Aiden's life support while his father was unconscious from his injuries in hospital. "A parent should never have to bury a child," she said. "As a mother, I'm now left with the responsibility of raising my only surviving son, who has lost his best friend and brother." Mrs Guimaraes said at the crash site, Chambers lied to her and claimed he was clipped by another car from behind. She said Chambers then attempted to remove Aiden's helmet as she screamed at him not to touch him. "I'll never forget (his brother) crying over Aiden's little body, saying to him, 'we were supposed to be together forever,'" she said. Mr Guimaraes told the court he struggled daily with the trauma of the crash. "(I was) no more than three inches from my boy, and that's why I'm here, and Aiden's not." Driver 'heavily intoxicated' before crash Chambers pleaded guilty to manslaughter, dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death or grievous bodily harm whilst adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, whilst excessively speeding, and high-range drink driving. The court heard that Chambers hit Aiden and his father with such force that he bent a fence and caused the bike's battery to fly 62 metres from where the crash occurred. Chambers was "heavily intoxicated" and drank two beers right before getting in the car, prosecutor Nathan Crane told the court. He had also been taking medication for arthritis, which had a negative effect when mixed with alcohol, the court heard. Mr Crane said that before the crash, there were two incidents, including one where Chambers exhibited "overtly careless behaviour" while entering a roundabout, causing another car to brake. At the next roundabout, he swerved past a car and drove off, Mr Crane said. 'Pattern of speeding' Mr Crane said Chambers had a "pattern of speeding" and a history of driving intoxicated, which had previously resulted in the disqualification of his license. Defence lawyer Ambyr Cousen said Chambers had expressed to her on various occasions that he wished "he could take Aiden's place". She said an apology letter provided to the court showed his remorse "is genuine". "He did stay at the scene; he voluntarily presented himself at the police station the next day. There was a level of remorse that he did show," she said. Ms Cousens said Chambers had spent 489 days in custody and completed drug and alcohol courses during his time in prison. Chambers will be sentenced when the matter returns to court at a later date.