Aaron Luke Benato appears in Ayr Magistrates Court over quad bike crash
A 24-year-old Home Hill man alleged to have been driving a quad bike Taylah Pearson was a passenger on has faced court.
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A 24-year-old Home Hill man alleged to have been driving a quad bike dangerously has faced court.
Aaron Luke Benato appeared in Ayr Magistrates Court on Monday charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, driving over the alcohol limit and driving an unregistered vehicle on a road.
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Taylah Pearson, 22, was a passenger on the quad bike. She suffered serious head injuries and died in Townsville Hospital. Benato was not seriously injured.
A 22-year-old driver of one of the accompanying quad bikes was charged with drink-driving, not wearing a helmet, driving unregistered and driving unlicensed.
The third driver, a 21-year-old Ayr man, was also charged with drink-driving during the incident on May 14.
They are both due to face Ayr Magistates Court on August 17.
Mr Benato is understood to have been friends with Miss Pearson and features in photos on his Facebook profile.
He is due to reappear in Townsville Magistrates Court on October 26.
The tragic death sparked a weekend-long district-wide blitz on quad bike use in the Burdekin including a regularly used area near where Miss Pearson was fatally injured.
Speaking with the Townsville Bulletin following Miss Pearson’s death the family thanked first responders for their efforts and “the men at the scene”.
“To the men who were with Taylah at the scene — we will be forever grateful for the care you gave to Taylah,” they said.
“You gave us the precious gift of time we got to spend with her … this will never be forgotten.”
Miss Pearson’s organs were donated, saving the lives of a number of people including a baby.
“Even in death she still amazes us all,” Taylah’s sister Brytni said.
“Some of her organs were too damaged but we are happy to say that Taylah has saved a few lives. One has her beautiful heart and three have her liver, one being a baby.”
Miss Pearson’s death was the second quad bike death in the Burdekin within two years after 20-year-old Cory Briant died from chest injuries when he struck a drain and was thrown from an all-terrain vehicle on McDowell Road in 2018.
Originally published as Aaron Luke Benato appears in Ayr Magistrates Court over quad bike crash