A young Canberra driver has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for a high-speed crash that killed a cyclist on Lady Denman Drive, with the judge noting his actions deprived the world of an exceptional woman.
Fatal collision details
Ronan Jason Grey, now 20, was driving an unregistered and unroadworthy BMW sedan at speed along Lady Denman Drive on March 20, 2024, when he lost control of his vehicle. The court heard Grey was driving erratically and swerved onto the wrong side of the road before colliding with cyclist Alicia Celaya Jauregui.
The impact threw the 36-year-old Uruguayan national approximately 40 metres at an estimated speed of 92km/h. Ms Jauregui sustained injuries that medical professionals described as not survivable and died in Canberra Hospital despite emergency treatment.
Court sentencing and judge's remarks
On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, ACT Supreme Court Acting Justice Paul Slattery sentenced Grey to a three-year jail term, to be suspended after 15 months. Grey also received a two-year driver's license suspension after previously pleading guilty to culpable driving causing death.
Justice Slattery told the court that Grey knew he was making bad decisions without regard for other road users' safety. The judge noted the vehicle had Queensland number plates registered to a different vehicle and had failed a recent registration check due to worn suspension and bald tires.
You were aware of all of these issues at the time, you then drove in a very dangerous manner, Justice Slattery said during sentencing.
Victim impact and personal circumstances
Ms Jauregui had recently moved to Canberra to work as a tennis coach and was described in victim impact statements as a role model who loved animals, sport, cooking and the outdoors. Her family spoke of an immense and impossible-to-fill void left by her death.
The court heard Grey had grown up with abusive parents and has several mental health diagnoses. Grey, who was 18 at the time of the incident, previously apologised for his actions, stating he still struggles to believe that I was capable of taking a life.
With his sentence backdated to account for time already served, Grey is expected to be released from custody in November 2026.
