Jeremy Spiteri pleads guilty to dangerous driving causing death of Drew Johnson

A man’s ‘selfish disregard’ for the safety of others led to the death of his mate in a horror crash in the Territory.

AS THREE mates wandered away from a remote pub following the last drinks call, none thought their night would end in “inconsolable” wailing.

Solar farm workers Jeremy Robert Spiteri, Dennis Koops and Drew Johnson left the Jabiru Golf Club together at 11.50pm, on December 3, 2021.

Eight months later Spiteri, 38, appeared in Darwin Supreme Court to plead guilty to driving dangerously causing death and endangering serious harm.

As the three mates settled into Spiteri’s Toyota LandCruiser, there were two quiet clicks as he and Mr Koops put on their seatbelt.

Spiteri’s barrister said that missing sound continued to haunt her client.

Jeremy Robert Spiteri leaves the Darwin Local Court on December 14. Picture: Jason Walls

“It was not then his practice to ask or check that passengers put their seatbelt on … He wishes he did that night,” Jodi Truman said.

“Perhaps it would have made a difference, perhaps not.’

The court heard Mr Koops remembered hearing the engine “revving high” as Spiteri sped down Waterhouse Rd.

The court heard that 38m from the intersection with Civic Dr, Spiteri pressed down on the brake causing the driver’s side wheels to lock.

As the car entered a clockwise yaw, Spiteri overcorrected.

Spinning the wheel to the left he caused the car to mount the kerb, trip and roll onto its side.

“He has no memory of the crash, apart from what are more like flashes than full memories,” she said.

Spiteri and Mr Koops climbed out of the overturned vehicle with minor injuries, only to find the body of their friend, Drew Johnson.

The 58-year-old was killed instantly as a result of the traumatic head injuries.

Witnesses described Spiteri as “inconsolable” weeping near his mate’s body.

Jeremy Robert Spiteri, 38, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously causing the death of Dennis Koops at Jabiru on December 3, 2021.

Two hours later Spiteri recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.157 — more than three times the legal limit.

Chief Justice Michael Grant said given the delay, his reading at the time would have been closer to four times over.

Ms Truman said Spiteri’s decision to get behind the wheel “changed the lives of three persons and their families forevermore”.

“There was no discussion between the men, no planning, they just got into the car and left,” she said.

“It’s clear … that if he could go back to that fateful moment he certainly would have.”

“It’s a moment he deeply regrets now. He deeply regretted immediately following the tragic events and he will regret forevermore.”

Spiteri described his mate and father-of-three as a “good bloke” and an almost inseparable workmate.

“We had breakfast together everyday, we went to work together in the same transport everyday, we had lunches, dinners together everyday,” Spiteri said in a statement.

In a letter to the 58-year-old’s family, Spiteri said there were no words to convey his sorrow.

Ms Truman said her client was committed to remaining booze free, saying “99 per cent of my time, I’m either working, gardening or trying to do things with my partner”.

Crown prosecutor Ian Rowbottom said the death toll on Territory roads was “shocking” and that drunk drivers appearing in court were all too common.

Mr Rowbottom said the Territory’s fatality rate was four times that of New South Wales, nearly six times that of the Australian Capital Territory, and more than double Western Australia’s death rate.

“This sort of behaviour is not acceptable, our roads are not to be used as freeways once someone has left drinking premises,” he said.

Despite Ms Truman pushing for a home detention sentence, Justice Grant said the courts had to “jealously guard the sanctity of human life”.

“You lost control of the vehicle for no apparent reason beyond the fact that you were highly intoxicated and unable to discern that you were approaching a T-intersection in time,” Justice Grant said.

“That combination of speed, intoxication, and erratic driving indicate that you had abandoned responsibility.

“You were demonstrating a selfish disregard for the safety of others.”

But Justice Grant said given the support of his employer, fellow workers, friends and family, any sentence should “not (be) of such length as to crush your hope and expectation for life after prison”.

Spiteri was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended after nine months.

A Local Court charge for drink driving will be assessed by Justice Grant at a later date.

Originally published as Jeremy Spiteri pleads guilty to dangerous driving causing death of Drew Johnson