Travis Jake Lawn sentenced in Townsville District Court for causing deaths of Hervey Bay couple in Bruce Highway crash

A man who killed a couple by crossing to the wrong side of the Bruce Highway told police he ‘partied’ the night before getting behind the wheel, a court has been told.

Travis Jake Lawn was sentenced in Townsville District Court after being charged with driving to cause the deaths of a Hervey Bay couple in August 2022. Picture: Facebook

A couple in their 60s who were road tripping with friends in a convoy across North Queensland had their lives come to an end due to the actions of a man who got behind the wheel ‘fatigued’ after partying the night before, a court has been told.

The driver of the vehicle that caused the fatal crash, Travis Jake Lawn appeared in Townsville District Court on Monday morning to be sentenced, two years on from the horror accident.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate told the court that on August 12, 2022, Rory, 67 and Crystal Armstrong, 62, were driving behind their friends having left from their hometown of Hervey Bay making their way to Townsville.

Lawn who was 36 at the time, was driving from Townsville to Mackay on the Bruce Highway, and only seven-minutes prior to the crash was captured driving on the wrong side of the road before pulling over near Yellow Gin Creek due to being fatigued, the court was told.

Much-loved Hervey Bay couple Rory and Crystal Armstrong sadly died in a three-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway in Wunjunga on August 12, 2022.

Mr Walklate played the footage taken from the semi-trailer driving behind Lawn which depicted him returning to the road before swerving to the left across the fog line, back to the centre and crossing the middle line clipping Mr and Mrs Armstong’s car.

The couple’s vehicle lost control and fish-tailed towards the semi-trailer, striking it and swerving 180 degrees causing Mr Armstrong to be ejected from the car, dying instantly.

Nearby drivers saw Mrs Armstrong unconscious in the car and she tragically died shortly after emergency services arrived, the crown said.

Mr Walklate told the court that Lawn stayed by his vehicle and was heard shouting “Why, why did this have to happen?”

The father-of-six told police he had been looking to the right at the paddock before he heard a loud bang but couldn’t tell them what happened as he had fallen asleep, according to the crown.

The man also admitted to having used methamphetamine and marijuana in the days leading up to the crash.

Much-loved Hervey Bay couple Rory and Crystal Armstrong sadly died in a three-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway in Wunjunga on August 12, 2022.

“He said he had done some partying in the days before,” Mr Walklate said.

Upon a search of the man’s vehicle police found 124 grams of marijuana, 34 tablets of oxymetholone, a homemade water pipe and a used syringe, additionally police found text messages between the man and someone else about purchasing drugs.

It was also found by the Forensic Crash Unit that Lawn’s tyres on the vehicle were at the level of needing replacements, which therefore led to a charge of driving a defective vehicle – however the report stated it did not play a factor in the crash.

Mr Walklate read aloud the victim impact statement provided by the couple’s son.

“They would’ve given their lives to anyone whether they knew you or not, I hope you realise they did give up their lives for you and I hope you make the rest of your life meaningful because that’s what they’d believe in,” it read.

“I must forgive you in order to move on, I ask for the justice that is appropriate and I hope Travis takes this time to turn his life around.”

Lawn looked upwards throughout the reading of the statement, visibly upset – fiancé, the mother of his eldest child sat at the back of the courtroom.

His defence barrister who was instructed by Legal Aid Queensland said the man’s life took a turn following the death of his father in 2013 and had been a “recreational user” of drugs over the years.

In the days leading up to the crash, it was put to the court by the man’s lawyer that he was having difficulties with one of the mothers of his children with whom he had recently broken up with.

“He was affected by fatigue and the distractions,” his lawyer said.

“That resulted in the poor decision to drive south on only a couple of hours sleep.”

The man’s lawyer also said he thanked the couple’s son for his “generous” words and was going to be dedicated to making the rest of his life “worthwhile”.

Judge Gregory Lynham reflected on the facts while handing down a sentence.

“You knew you were fatigued when you pulled over prior to the crash,” he said.

“Your actions resulted in the deaths of two loving grandparents, two innocent people, and the vision was graphically captured by the semi-trailer.”

Lawn pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of vehicle causing death, possessing drugs, supplying drugs, failing to keep left, driving a defective vehicle, drug driving, failing to take reasonable care of a syringe and possessing drug-related utensils.

He was sentenced to four and a half years’ jail with a parole eligibility date of December 6, 2024 and disqualified from driving for five years.

Originally published as Travis Jake Lawn sentenced in Townsville District Court for causing deaths of Hervey Bay couple in Bruce Highway crash