What driver Owen Andrew Dendle said to St Brendan’s College student Rhys Yore before Yeppoon crash

The moments leading up to a horrific car crash at Yeppoon that killed a popular St Brendan’s College student have been revealed for the first time.

The chilling words that P-plate teen driver Owen Andrew Dendle said to his back seat passenger Rhys Yore before the popular Year 11 student was killed in a horrific car crash, have been revealed for the first time.

On Monday, Dendle, 18, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail suspended after 12 months, after pleading guilty in Rockhampton District Court to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while excessively speeding.

Rhys Yore, a 16-year-old Year 11 student at St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon, died after being thrown from the vehicle when it crashed on Appleton Drive at Yeppoon in the early hours of January 21.

Crown Prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence told the court of the moments leading up to the fatal crash.

Ms Lawrence said that Dendle and Rhys were together on the night of January 20.

“They were socialising with others at a unit,” she said.

“And arrangements were made for the defendant to drive Rhys home.”

Ms Lawrence said at some stage after midnight, Dendle started driving a Ford Falcon with Rhys in the back behind the driver’s seat, and another passenger in the front.

“Just prior to driving through a roundabout opposite Appleton Park, the defendant said: ‘Are you ready Rhys?’

“Rhys replied: ‘Ready for what?’

“The defendant then began drifting, which was intentionally causing the car to lose traction and slide through a roundabout.

“The front passenger estimated that the defendant was going about 60km per hour through the roundabout.”

Ms Lawrence said the speed limit for that area was 50kmh.

“The defendant then exited the roundabout and began driving in the middle of the road.

“He again started drifting the car as he passed the Vaughan Street and Appleton Drive intersection.

“He failed to manoeuvre to the left-hand bend following the intersection, causing him to slide into the right lane.

“The defendant’s car slid onto the Fig Tree Bridge, which is now known in Rhys’ honour, the Rhys Yore Bridge, before colliding with the metal guard rail and then the concrete bridge wall.”

Ms Lawrence said as a result of the impact, the car then rolled at least once.

“However the front passenger described it as flipping two or three times.

“During the course of that, Rhys was ejected from the vehicle.

“The vehicle stopped rolling and landed on its wheels, and Rhys was trapped underneath the vehicle.

“The defendant and passenger eventually got out of the car and shortly after the incident, there were some people who came upon the scene and then called emergency services.”

Ms Lawrence said when Dendle saw Rhys, he said that he “was so sorry and he just f---ed up.”

“He (Dendle) asked the front passenger to tell police that he had lost control.

“Emergency services were on scene shortly thereafter, and the defendant admitted to paramedics on scene that he had been driving at about 110km per hour.”

Ms Lawrence said a short time later, Rhys’ father Shane arrived on scene.

“He was told after a period of time what had occurred, and then had to break the news to his wife Mandy who arrived shortly after.”

Ms Lawrence said there was an examination of the road and the vehicle.

“Although there was a defect in the vehicle that rendered it in an unsatisfactory mechanical condition, it did not contribute to the cause of the crash, nor did the roadway or any other aspect of the environment.

“The defendant is to be dealt with on the basis that he deliberately began to drive the vehicle in a dangerous manner, particularly having regard to his inexperience as a driver.”

In the aftermath of the crash, Dendle’s father “essentially disowned him”, his defence barrister Ross Lo Monaco said.

Since the day of the fatal crash and until sentencing, Dendle had been living with his grandmother in Rockhampton. Before that, Dendle was living with his father.

“Whatever relationship he had with him (father) has now ceased,” Mr Lo Monaco said.

In February, 2020, Dendle‘s mother moved to Brisbane and as a result of that, Dendle moved in with his biological father for a period of time and was there until the day of the crash.

Dendle has lived in Rockhampton all his life. His parents separated when he was three years old and he was then raised by his mother and her subsequent partner.

Dendle completed primary school at Frenchville State School before going on to high school at Emmaus College.

Mr Lo Monaco said Dendle left high school just before the end of Year 10 “simply because he had a dislike for school.”

Mr Lo Monaco said after leaving Emmaus, Dendle “pretty much immediately” found work.

“And he’s been in employment virtually the whole time since leaving school. ”

Fresh out of high school, Dendle started working for a landscaping business where he stayed for about two-and-a-half years, in labouring and lawn-mowing roles.

Dendle’s employment there ceased just before January 2021, simply because the business shrunk, Mr Lo Monaco said.

“He tells me that it took him a few months before he was able to pluck up the courage to even get out and about to seek further employment,” the barrister said.

A couple of months later, Dendle got a job at a meatworks in Rockhampton as a packer.

Dendle stopped working in July to prepare himself for sentencing and also went to Brisbane to spend some time with his mother before returning to Rockhampton.

During sentencing, the court heard Dendle had no criminal nor traffic history, and ultimately his ambition was to take up an electrical trade.

Judge Michael Burnett said Dendle lacked life experience and maturity “and that informs poor decision making which you’re in the position that you’re in today”.

He also told Dendle: “I doubt that you’ll ever go to your grave without thinking for one day, about these events.”

Judge Burnett said the fact sentencing took place eight months after the crash indicated a positive effort on Dendle’s part to bring this matter expeditiously to a conclusion.

“I’m conscious of the need for the community’s denunciation to be expressed,” he said.

“Those matters of general deterrence and of course community denunciation are important.

“Of course your rehabilitation is also important to our community. Ultimately rehabilitation achieves two outcomes.

“First of course, it sees you hopefully reinstalled back into the community to undertake and proceed with your life in a proper and lawful way.

“That affords the community some element of protection.”