Stewart Bruce Vaughan in court for Eli Waters fatal crash
A navy veteran who was behind the wheel of a car when it collided with a motorcycle and caused the rider’s death has been sentenced.
Police & Courts
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An Aspley man who was behind the wheel of a Holden hatchback that collided with a motorcyclist at an Eli Waters intersection, causing the rider’s death, has been sentenced.
Stewart Bruce Vaughan, 70, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without due care and attention or driving without reasonable consideration causing death.
On November 1, 2023, Vaughan was travelling north on Hervey Bay Maryborough Rd in his Holden hatchback with his two grandchildren when he arrived at the Fairway Dr intersection at 7.30am in Eli Waters.
He turned right onto Fairway Dr when there was not a green arrow to do so and collided with Dundowran Beach man Mick Gesler, 75, who was riding his Moto Guzzi.
Mr Gesler was knocked off the motorcycle and suffered serious injuries to his pelvis and leg.
He was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for treatment and died 10 days later on November 11.
Born in Novi Sad, Serbia, Mr Gesler immigrated to Australia as a young man, living and working in Sydney until he moved to Hervey Bay on January 1, 1996.
Tributes left online said he enjoyed watching soccer and tennis and devoted his life to his grandsons.
His funeral notice read “tragically Mick was taken away doing what he loved best, riding a vintage Moto Guzzi,”.
“He is now forever riding in the wind,” it read.
Motorcyclist Mick Gesler killed in tragic Eli Waters crash
Police prosecutor Sonia Edwards said, “not much can be said besides it being a tragic incident”.
She told the court Vaughan had stopped at the scene and given his version of events to police when requested to do so.
Vaughan’s lawyer Justin Geldard said his client had “suffered mental health trauma” because of the incident.
The lawyer said the incident had “cut” the father of four children and grandfather of 10 “deep.“
He told the court Vaughan had lost more than 15kg after the incident and had been hospitalised twice with stress.
“He carries burden no different, no doubt, to that of the poor family who have lost their grandfather and father,” Mr Geldard said.
Mr Geldard told the court speeding, drugs and alcohol were not contributing factors to the incident.
Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said Vaughan had made “valuable contributions” to the community through serving in the navy along with his work in the youth justice sector and as a wardsman in a hospital.
She said Mr Gesler “clearly had right of way” and his death was “a tragic loss for the community”.
The magistrate sentenced Vaughan to four months imprisonment which was wholly suspended nine months and he was disqualified from driving for nine months.
A conviction was recorded.
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