Clement Charles Lake pleads guilty to causing horror Peak Downs Highway crash at Walkerston
An aged care worker now suffers a permanent brain injury after she had to be cut from her vehicle when a reckless driver caused a horror crash that left her fighting for her life.
Police & Courts
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An Ozcare worker now suffers a permanent brain injury after a reckless driver slammed into her stationary car causing a horror crash at a busy highway that left her fighting for her life.
Mackay traffic controller Clement Charles Lake will have to pay for the damage bill that totals more than $40,000 over the July 11, 2023 collision at Walkerston, but he avoided a jail term or hefty fine.
Instead acting magistrate Stephen Byrne ordered the 73 year old could complete 70 hours unpaid community service for the smash that closed the Peak Downs Highway for several hours and left Anne Seaniger critically injured.
“It’s clear from the admissions you made to police that you just didn’t see this lady … until it was far, far too late,” Mr Byrne said.
Lake had slammed into Ms Seaniger’s stopped car at the Palms Rd intersection pushing it onto the highway where it and a ute collided.
The 67-year-old injured woman had to be cut from her work vehicle.
She was flown to Townsville and had to be placed in an induced coma because of her injuries that included a traumatic brain injury, torn aorta and multiple fractures.
“There has been no evasive action taken … despite there being significant space to the side of that vehicle,” prosecutor Sheena Gravino said, adding Ms Seanigar indicated in a victim impact statement her “quality of life has significantly deteriorated” and she could no longer volunteer her time with the street chaplains.
Ms Gravino pushed for a significant fine totalling about $3000 or a suspended jail term, and licence disqualification.
Lake pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court in November 2023 to driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm and was sentenced in late December.
Macrossan and Amiet director Steven Hayles said the consequences of the incident were significant on his client regarding the cost of vehicle damage, which included more than $40,000 to the ute.
“The offending here was over a relatively short duration,” Mr Hayles said.
The court heard a medical assessment in relation to Lake’s eyesight obtained after the crash was tendered.
“It’s open to infer … that the deterioration of his eyesight has somewhat contributed to his inability to observe the stationary vehicle,” Mr Hayles said.
The court heard he was not speeding and his licence was suspended until April 2024.
“Unfortunately your lack of attentiveness, distraction or failure to take into account the vehicle that was stopped on the road, an accident has occurred resulting in very serious injuries to Ms Seaniger,” Mr Byrne said.
“Unbelievably Ms Seaniger has forgiven you for hitting her which is quite magnanimous.”
The court heard she would be compensated through the CTP scheme “but the money is just never enough” compared to the serious consequences she will “carry forward” for the rest of her life because of the crash, Mr Byrne said.
Lake must complete the community service within 12 months. His licence was disqualified for six months and a conviction was recorded.
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