Townsville District Court: Kevin John Bowen sentenced after Bruce Highway drink drive killed beloved Tasmanian father John Perkins

A grieving daughter has faced the drunk driver who killed her dad in a crash on the Bruce Highway and shared the heart-wrenching last words she sent the beloved former Tassie councillor.

Latrobe councillor John Perkins, 68, was killed in crash south of Townsville.

The heartbroken children of a beloved father, husband and former councillor have taken to the stand in Townsville court to face the man who killed their dad in a reckless Bruce Highway car crash.

In Townsville District Court on Friday morning, a day before the two-year anniversary of the crash – Kevin John Bowen sat before the family of John Perkins, the man he killed on the Bruce Highway while he was driving drunk.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate told the court that on August 31 in 2022, 51-year-old Bowen drove from a pub in Ayr to his home in Giru drunk when he veered into the wrong lane and crashed into the former Tasmanian councillor’s car, leaving him with “catastrophic” injuries.

‘Drive safely, message us when you arrive’

Mr Perkin’s daughter, Tenille Bolton took to the stand as she recounted the moment she found out her father had died.

“I replay that day over and over, the what ifs will haunt me – what if dad slept longer? What if I talked to him longer? He would still be with us,” she said to Bowen.

“My last words to him were ‘drive safely, message us when you arrive’, that message never came.

“Sentencing today on August 30, 2024 – the two-year anniversary of dad’s death is tomorrow and Sunday is Father’s Day, what a cruel twist of fate that is.”

The court was told the family had just united in Townsville for the 40th birthday of Mr Perkins’ son Luke who also took to the stand.

“My birthday, a time that should be filled with happiness will always carry the weight of my sorrow,” he said.

“Dad was not only a devoted family man but a cornerstone of his community, giving generously his time to causes and committees that made a meaningful difference in many lives.

“His absence has been felt not just by his family but the entire Tasmanian community.”

The son took a moment to reflect on what justice meant to him.

“If this were a premeditated act or part of a patterned behaviour, I could understand a harsh sentence for the sake of public safety but if this was a senseless one time mistake then sending the defendant to jail would only perpetuate a cycle of pain for his family, for ours and everyone involved.”

As each sibling read out their statements, Bowen’s head became lower and lower.

Third to speak in court was Mr Perkins’ other daughter, Shannon Holland who described informing her young children that their grandad who they had seen only 12 hours earlier, had died.

“But if I thought that was the hardest thing I was going to do that day, I was wrong,” she said.

“The car trip from Townsville to Ayr to attend the hospital and identify his body was excruciating.

“It was beyond comprehension that a man so usually full of life and energy that we’d seen 12 hours earlier, was gone in the blink of an eye and our lives changed forever.”

In the lead up to the crash

Mr Walklate told the court that Bowen was playing pokies from 10pm in the evening and at 3:48am left the Coutts Commercial Hotel to make his way back to the farm he owned in Giru.

“A few moments before the crash he drove along a sweeping bend that’s also on the Bruce Highway and drove his vehicle into the other side of the lane and continued towards Townsville,” Mr Walklate said.

“It’s significant because it indicates there was a warning that his driving at that stage was dangerous.”

It was on the second time he crossed over the solid white lines near Collinsons Lagoon that Bowen collided with Mr Perkins car, causing it to travel sideways and peeling back the vehicle’s door, the court was told.

Mr Walklate said Bowen’s wheel detached from his own vehicle and he came to a stop only once spinning a 180-degree turn down the road, with nearby farmer’s hearing the bang and coming to assistance both men.

“The farmer told the defendant he had hit another car and the defendant became annoyed and said ‘I gotta go’,” the crown prosecutor said.

However, Bowen was unable to go anywhere as he suffered a shattered heel on one foot and a fracture arch on the other along with a spinal fracture.

Doctors were forced to take a blood sample from Bowen without his consent as seven hours after the crash as he had refused and he presented a reading of 0.085.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters instructed by Mellick & Associates read an apology letter aloud on behalf of Bowen.

“If I could go back in time and replace your husband and father with myself, I would do so,” the letter read.

“I will carry the shame and embarrassment and guilty for the rest of my life, but this of course pales in significance to the pain I have caused you. I can’t apologise enough for what I have done.”

John Perkins was killed in a crash south of Townsville on Wednesday.

Mr Walters said Bowen was “fully aware” he was going to jail, as his wife and young children sat at the back of the courtroom.

“He realised he was developing a gambling addiction, he didn’t go there intended to get drunk but he had a problem with the pokies,” the defence barrister said.

“He has not played the poker machines or drank alcohol since the events of this night. My client is extremely remorseful.”

Judge Paul Smith said he couldn’t ignore the impact this has had on two families.

“No sentence I impose today can bring Mr Perkins back,” he said.

Bowen pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of vehicle to cause death while intoxicated,

He was sentenced to six and a half years jail with a parole eligibility date of August 29, 2026 and was disqualified from driving for five years.

Bowen was allowed time to say goodbye to his family as his young kids and wife hugged him and cried.

Originally published as Townsville District Court: Kevin John Bowen sentenced after Bruce Highway drink drive killed beloved Tasmanian father John Perkins