Mother’s Day fatal crash: Lewis Robert Beatson pleads guilty to drink-driving

A young man had been drinking with mates and made the ‘very wrong decision’ to drive a friend home. What happened next was ‘catastrophic’ and a ‘dreadful coincidence’, but police say it was not his fault.

Confronting details have emerged about how a young Eimeo driver tried to save the life of fatal crash victim Jacob Betts as he died by the roadside at Racecourse, in what has been described as a “dreadful coincidence”.

Lewis Robert Beatson removed his shirt and used it to try and help Mr Betts as he performed CPR after a two-vehicle horror crash just after 5am on Mother’s Day.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Beatson, 20, was not to blame for the fatal crash, but he had been doing the wrong thing at the time – he was drink-driving.

Lewis Robert Beatson pleaded guilty to mid-range drink-driving over a Mother's Day fatal crash at Racecourse.

Mr Betts had been riding his motorcycle about 147kmh in an 80kmh zone on Horse and Jockey Rd when he slammed into the side of Beatson’s Toyota Corolla as he was turning right onto Gibsons Rd.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Linden Pollard said Beatson spotted the motorbike quite a distance away, slowed and made to turn right across the oncoming traffic lane.

“Midway through the turn the motorcycle due to the excessive speed has covered the distance in a very short time … (and) collided with the passenger side of the Toyota,” Sgt Pollard said.

“As a result of the excessive speed of the motorcycle, the Corolla has been forced … backwards (about) 7.6m where it has rotated 180 degrees before leaving the roadway and coming to a rest partially on the embankment.”

Jacob Betts was killed when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a vehicle on Horse and Jockey Rd at Racecourse on May 8, 2022.

Beatson first checked on his injured front passenger before “going to the aid of the injured motorbike rider”.

“(He) has removed his shirt, attempted to use it to help the rider while providing CPR until the arrival of emergency services,” Sgt Pollard said.

Tragically Mr Bett’s, who lived in Dysart, died at the scene.

“He did all that he could do,” Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan noted.

As the facts were being read, Ms Hartigan asked Beatson if he was OK, to which he said “yes”.

The court heard Beatson was more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit as a P-plater at the time of the crash.

Mr Betts, 24, had been travelling about 147kmh in an 80kmh zone when he crashed into a Toyota Corolla.

It was the morning after he had been out drinking with his mates – during which he had about 10 drinks – and rather than staying at Mount Pleasant as planned, he made the “very wrong decision” to drive a friend home.

“He still lives with that decision every day,” Defence solicitor Marcus Hahn said.

Beatson, 20, pleaded guilty to mid-range drink-driving on a provisional licence on May 8. A Mackay Forensic Crash investigation found he was not at fault over the crash.

Mr Hahn, of McKay’s Solicitors, said his client took full responsibility for the drink-driving and entered a plea on the first opportunity.

Beatson, 20, used his shirt and performed CPR in an attempt to save Mr Betts’s life, but tragically he died at the scene.

“His reflections clearly demonstrate what a significant impact this has had on him,” Mr Hahn said, adding his client had also proactively completed a driving education course and sought ongoing counselling.

“His reflections are raw, they’re very honest.”

The court heard he had no criminal or traffic history.

Beatson will turn 21 next week. His parents and a number of friends were in court supporting him.

The court heard he completed high school at Holy Spirit College and had been employed consistently since.

Beatson had been turning right from Horse and Jockey Rd onto Gibsons Rd when the fatal crash occurred. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Ms Hartigan labelled the circumstances a “dreadful coincidence” – even though Beaton was well over the limit, Mr Betts was at fault for the crash.

“What occurred … you could never have expected,” Ms Hartigan said.

“The effect on you … I would label as catastrophic.

“You have suffered a lot. You have a preliminary diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder.”

Ms Hartigan noted he would probably need ongoing counselling “because of what you saw”.

“That’s something that will never leave you,” she said, but noted it was a very high reading.

Beatson was fined $1000 and disqualified for four months. A conviction was not recorded.