Darren James Homan: Groper Creek boat crash trial continues in court

A court has heard how three mates were trying to help their families during the 2019 floods before Justin Scott was ejected into rapids, never to be seen again.

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A barrister has broken down in court when he described the final interactions between Justin Scott and his wife when he asked her for a “goodbye kiss”.

A trial in the Townsville District Court was adjourned briefly when Darren James Homan’s barrister became emotional when outlining his client’s case.

Homan was charged with dangerously operating a vessel causing death or its alternative, general obligation on persons involved with operation of a vessel to operate it safely causing death after Justin Scott was ejected from Homan’s tinnie into the flooded Burdekin River in 2019.

35- year-old Justin Scott went missing in floodwaters at Groper Creek on February 8, 2019.

In his opening remarks, Crown Prosecutor Andrew Walklate said Homan unsafely operated the boat when he took it into the floodwaters, in and around the then submerged jetty at Groper Creek before 14 witnesses gave evidence.

Gavin Falco told the court on Tuesday he went to Homan’s aid after the tinnie he was driving hit a pylon.

Mr Falco said Homan was “distraught” and was “pacing up and down” his boat.

Mr Falco said Homan told him he had “lost my best mate” before he said Homan told him “I should have known better”.

His son Regan Falco was in another boat and witnessed Justin Scott being tossed into the river.

He told the court “stuff was flying everywhere” after the boat smashed into the pylons.

Mr Falco said when he reached Homan’s tinnie, Jamie Levitt, another passenger in Homan’s boat, was sitting in Homan’s arms “unconscious” with a “gash” across his face.

After the prosecution concluded its case, Mr Walters said that on February 8, 2019, Homan had been at home with his wife before she went to work.

He said Justin Scott was one of Homan’s best friends, together with Mr Scott’s wife, Sabrina.

Homan’s barrister Harvey Walters said Homan could not get to work that day because the roads were flooded, and instead he went grocery shopping for his parents who were flooded in, and Mr Scott wanted to come with him.

They put the tinnie into the flooded water to drop off the groceries.

Later that afternoon, Homan and Mr Scott had lunch together with Mr Scott’s wife before again putting their boat into the river and Mr Scott asked his wife for a “goodbye kiss” and she went home.

Darren James Homan arrives at the Townsville Courthouse on June 15, 2021.

In the witness box on Tuesday, Homan said he was not aware there was a submerged pylon in the water before he “hit something and lost control of the boat”.

“That threw me into a pylon and tipped the boat on its side,” Homan said.

“That’s when Justin was thrown from the boat,” he said.

The trial will continue on Wednesday.

Originally published as Darren James Homan: Groper Creek boat crash trial continues in court