Tributes for father-of-three Justin Kay killed in road tragedy

Tributes have flowed for the well-loved Queensland father killed in a crash on Monday, who family say continued “living his dream” after a near-death experience almost three years ago.

The man killed on Monday when a truck rolled in Central Queensland has been remembered as a “loving father and cherished partner” who had previously escaped death just three years earlier.

Forest Hill man Justin Keith Kay, 38, was driving on the Leichhardt Highway, 15-kilometres north of Taroom, on Monday afternoon when his truck rolled.

“He was a loving father of three beautiful children, a cherished partner, uncle, brother and son,” sister Haylee Kay told The Courier-Mail.

“Truck driving was his love and passion. He loved taking his nieces and nephews in the truck for a ride.

“He was the type of bloke you could rely on to be there when you were in trouble.”

Justin’s brother, Dylan Kay, said he was a hard working man who loved his family to no end.

“Even though for some people he sometimes come across as a big tough truck driver he was always there for you in a caring way,” he said.

“We lost our sister last September to suicide, he never gave up he just kept moving forward.”

Mr Kay had a long history of driving trucks, and had been working for his most recent employer, Patons Transport and Logistics, for almost 12 months.

A former colleague told The Courier-Mail: “He was quiet but just really well-liked in the group, nobody had a bad word to say about him.

Justin Kay, 38, died in a fatal crash on Monday. Picture: Facebook

“He was one of those truck drivers who was just a genuinely nice bloke and who fitted in really well.

“We all loved Justin and thought the world of him.

“It’s a tragedy.”

Relative Reece Jade wrote in a tribute online that Mr Kay was “taken too soon”.

“Fly high with your two sisters,” she wrote on social media.

Almost three years ago, Mr Kay and his long-term partner Thresa Holmes had their lives threatened during a terrifying incident at their Grafton duplex.

Christopher Peter McGrail was fatally shot by police on August 6 2017 when he lunged at an officer while holding a large kitchen knife, a coroner’s inquest into his death found.

Mr McGrail had arrived at the duplex earlier that afternoon and engaged in a manic and violent rampage.

The inquest heard Mr McGrail had picked up the bottle and knife and a shirt with one hand and said to Mr Kay, “This is it. Are you ready to die?”.

Mr McGrail had also raised the hammer above his head and said to Ms Holmes, “Today is the day you’re going to die.”

Mr Kay saw the moment Mr McGrail was shot by police.

“Hoppy was lunging towards the police officers and it looked like he was to go [sic] and hurt somebody. It was then I heard the two shots and Hoppy fell to his hands and knees,” Mr Kay said in a statement.

The inquest into Mr McGrail’s death was closed last month. 

“He was lucky to escape his first accident, but that didn’t stop him from living his dream,” Ms Kay said.