Joshua Andrew Peterson sentenced for killing Shanti Wren in Port Douglas motorbike crash
The mother of a kind, loving and popular young woman has recounted how her world was “forever changed” after her daughter was killed in a motorcycle crash, as the man responsible was sentenced to jail.
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The mother of a kind, loving and popular young woman has recounted how her world was “forever changed” after her daughter was killed in a motorcycle crash, as the man responsible was sentenced to jail.
Joshua Andrew Peterson, 34, pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death while affected by an intoxicating substance in June this year.
Family and friends of the woman he killed – 27-year-old Shanti Wren – packed the Cairns District Court as Peterson was sentenced on Wednesday over her death, on March 2, 2022 when she was a pillion passenger on his motorcycle.
Shanti’s mother and father, Lisa O’Neill and Phillip Wren, read heartbreaking victim impact statements to the court.
Ms O’Neill said her world came to a crashing halt when she received the phone call had daughter had died.
“Since that day I have been on a lonely, confusing and excruciating journey,” she said.
She told the court she was left in a wave of confusion as she saw Joshua continuing to live his life, training on a football field.
“My heart started pounding seeing him there free as a bird,” she said.
“It felt like a sick prank, where is my daughter?
“Why are you living your life while my daughter has lost hers?”
Ms O’Neill told the court she knew at that moment she could not stay in Port Douglas, knowing she could find herself in Mr Peterson’s presence unexpectedly.
“I felt a deep desire to run, and run, and run.”
Ms O’Neill said she tried moving to Brisbane but found herself in a pit of despair.
“When the adrenaline and shock had worn off, I became even more confused and overwhelmed.”
She told the court she felt her life had been hijacked by an uninvited stranger.
“I have reccurring nightmares about Shanti’s fateful night, I see her terrified face as she clings on for dear life around that corner,” she said.
“I want to desperately run to her, protect her and save her.
“The pain I feel is torturous.
“I tell her I love her, we love her, and I pray she is safe and not alone.”
Judge Tracy Fantin said Peterson’s offending had catastrophic consequences for Ms Wren’s family and the community of Port Douglas.
Prior to the fatal crash, his traffic history included 16 incidents of speeding, as well as driving unlicensed and driving while under the influence.
At the time of the crash his licence was disqualified in Queensland and Victoria.
“You deliberately got on a motorcycle knowing that you had been disqualified from driving by court order a short time before that, and knowing you were adversely affected by alcohol,” she said.
“Your driving was completely and utterly reckless to the safety of your pillion passenger.”
Ms Fantin described the incident after viewing footage captured on a police vehicle’s dashcam and reading the statement of facts.
She told the court the rider was seen speeding before the incident, with Ms Wren holding her helmet on with her hand.
The riders executed a turn and adopted an unsafe lean angle with the underside of the bike striking the road causing the bike to “highside”, throwing the riders off the bike.
“Shanti was catapulted from the rear of the bike, her helmet left her head mid air and she landed head first on the road,” she said.
She sustained critical injuries and later died in hospital.
Mr Peterson was uninjured and was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of between 0.124 and 0.143 at the time of the crash.
Mr Peterson’s defence counsel, James McNab told the court his client acknowledged how “serious, tragic and catastrophic his actions have been on so many people”.
“He has shown genuine remorse and is deeply sorry for the death of Shanti,” he said.
“He wants to apologise to the family and the community.”
Mr McNab told the court Peterson had suffered PTSD after the accident, telling the court he was using medicinal cannabis to help him sleep.
Shanti’s father told the court Shanti was fun, cheeky, and inquisitive kid, kind and loving.
“She grew into a stunning young woman, still fun, outgoing and popular with everyone she met,” he said.
“I miss her smile and her laugh and the banter we shared.”
Mr Wren said the day Shanti died was meant to be a day of celebration.
“At just 27 years old, Shanti had her life mapped out and the day she died she was packed and ready to embark on a new phase of her life in Noosa.”
Peterson was sentenced to six years imprisonment with a parole eligibility date set after 22 months on August 16, 2026.
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Originally published as Joshua Andrew Peterson sentenced for killing Shanti Wren in Port Douglas motorbike crash
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