D’Aguilar Highway Rollover: Mourners sentenced over antics at crash victims’ farewell

A funeral for two men who died in a horrific car crash outside Tara has ended in confronting scenes that included reckless burnouts and dozens of people blocking a police officer inside his car.

Five mourners at the funeral of two men killed in a shocking car crash outside Tara earlier this year have been sentenced in court, after one man did burnouts at the farewell and others crowded and taunted a policeman investigating the careless driving.

Keegan James Sheehan was behind the wheel of a car that did burnouts outside the funeral of Jesse Madden and John Hoghes on May 3.

Mr Madden and Mr Hoghes died when the car they were travelling in rolled and slammed into a power pole on the D’Aguilar Hwy between Kingaroy and Nanango in April.

The Dalby court heard a 20-year-old Sheehan was driving unregistered and unlicensed at the time of the reckless driving at the men’s funeral.

Following the burnouts, dozens of people spilt from the service onto the Tara road.

A Chinchilla police officer arrived to investigate the disturbance, but tensions grew to dangerous levels.

Aiden Paul Wilkinson (left) was charged with obstructing police at a funeral, the other people pictured were not charged with any offence. Picture: Facebook

Aiden Paul Wilkinson was one of four charged with obstructing a police officer, and was seen on bodycam footage taunting the officer and blocking the police vehicle.

Police prosecutor Derek Brady said the 28-year-old approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and threatened police.

“He said, ‘You f -- king deaf?’, and continued to stare at the officer through the window,” Sergeant Brady said.

“He yelled, ‘You better look me up before you get out the car,’ and continued yelling through the window that was closed.”

The court heard Wilkinson, along with Tahlia Lea Light and Sheshonnie Toya Welldon, stood in front of the police vehicle to block it from moving.

Harley Aaron Hoghes, the brother of one of the men who died, was also present and involved in blocking the police officer’s car.

Sergeant Brady said once the crowd began to disperse, the officer involved had no choice but to retreat to Tara police station.

All four people involved in blocking the police officer in the vehicle admitted to having consumed alcohol before the funeral and said their emotions were high.

Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan acknowledged the day was emotionally-charged and that alcohol played a role in the commotion.

Harley Aaron Hoghes, Sheshonnie Toya Welldon, Keegan James Sheehan, Aiden Paul Wilkinson appeared in Dalby court – Picture: Facebook

Sheehan, who was also dealt with for separate matters and spent 49 days in pre-sentence custody, pleaded guilty to driving to make unnecessary smoke, driving unlicensed and driving an unregistered vehicle.

He was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and disqualified from driving for two years.

Wilkinson, who had just completed parole for other offending, pleaded guilty to obstructing police. He was sentenced to three months’ jail, which was wholly suspended for 12 months.

Hoghes, who is still on probation for separate offending, pleaded guilty to obstructing police and public nuisance. He was fined $350.

Welldon pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance and was fined $600.

Light pleaded guilty to obstructing police and public nuisance. She was fined $750 and no conviction was recorded.