Dean Anthony Everson enters pleas in Mackay Magistrates Court over forklift death

The man accused of driving a forklift at Middlemount when it rolled and caused the death of soon-to-be father Joe Williams appeared in court for the first time. Read what he said.

A man charged over a fatal forklift rollover at Middlemount that claimed the life of soon-to-be father Joe Williams has had his case listed for a two-day hearing in the magistrates court.

Dean Anthony Everson has pleaded not guilty to the charge alleging his responsibility over the death.

He is facing four charges including driving without due care causing death and drinking liquor while operating a vehicle over the July 24 incident.

Dean Anthony Everson pleaded not guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to driving without due care and attention causing death and drink-driving. Picture: LinkedIn

Mr Everson pleaded not guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to these two charges.

His solicitor Antoinette Morton said it was possible the two could be linked.

Police will allege Mr Everson was the driver of the forklift with 35-year-old Mr Williams, from Brisbane, as a passenger when the vehicle flipped at a site in Blackbutt St, Middlemount.

This was the last photo taken of Casey Watters and Joe Williams together. Ms Watters was 38 weeks pregnant with their first child.

It is understood a vertical bar pinned Mr Williams’s ankle under the machine at a Blackbutt site.

Mr Everson did not enter pleas to the two remaining charges, using a vehicle outside its conditional registration and driving a vehicle with a passenger in part of a vehicle not designed for the carriage of passengers.

Despite being charged on October 5, it was the first time Mr Everson had appeared in court as he had previously been a close contact of a Covid-positive person in his residential city of Brisbane.

He is expected to appear next for a hearing mention on February 1. The case has been listed for a two-day hearing in the magistrates court.