A 41-year-old Queensland man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for a drunk driving crash that killed a 68-year-old Tasmanian man on the Bruce Highway near Ayr in August 2022.
Kevin John Bowen pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and other charges in the District Court in Townsville. The court heard Bowen had been drinking and playing pokies for six hours at a pub before driving home, veering twice onto the wrong side of the highway.
Prosecutor Andrew Walklate said Bowen refused a breath test but a later blood test showed his blood alcohol content was at least 0.233 per cent. The victim, John Perkins, a former Tasmanian local councillor, was visiting North Queensland for his son's 40th birthday.
Perkins' daughter Tenille Bolton said her heart was broken by her father's death, while his son Luke described him as an exceptional individual whose loss was felt by the entire Tasmanian community. Bowen sobbed in court as he heard their statements.
Bowen's lawyer said his client, a married father of two, could no longer work as a fly-in, fly-out miner due to losing his licence. Bowen expressed shame and guilt but acknowledged it paled compared to the pain he caused. He was sentenced to six and a half years and will be eligible for parole on August 29, 2026.
