Queensland truck driver Kevin Pearson denies causing death of Kevin Baker and Mick Warren

An interstate truck driver has told a court he is not responsible for the deaths of two Port Augusta train drivers in a horror Barrier Highway smash on New Year’s Eve 2023.

An alleged killer truckie charged over the horror smash that killed two train drivers has officially told a court he’s not responsible for their deaths.

Queensland man Kevin Maxwell Pearson appeared via phone to the Port Augusta Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, charged over the December 2023 crash that killed Kevin Baker, 57, and Mick Warren, 48.

Mr Baker and Mr Warren, both from Port Augusta, were in the locomotive when it struck a road train at a level crossing on the Barrier Highway just west of the NSW border into South Australia on New Year’s Eve 2023.

Two train drivers were killed in this horror truck collision on Barrier Highway, Bindarrah, in December 2023. Picture: 7NEWS

Emergency services and police at the crash scene on the Barrier Highway, Bindarrah. Picture: Andrew Gosling

Following the crash, Mr Pearson, 76, was taken to Broken Hill Hospital with minor injuries and was later charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

At his first court appearance in January, Kylie Pligl, for Mr Pearson, told magistrate Karim Soetratma her client had driven trucks for “over 50 years.”

“He only does some occasional truck driving work, which is what led him into South Australia undertaking a short assignment,” she said.

“He’s got no relevant criminal history, and he has some health problems. He is recovering from lung cancer and currently has prostate cancer.”

Kevin Pearson, 76, has been charged with causing the death of two men after allegedly colliding with a train. Picture: Facebook

On Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty to two charges of causing death by dangerous driving. Picture: Facebook

On Wednesday, Mr Pearson pleaded not guilty to the two charges and was remanded on continuing bail in Queensland to face court again in June.

After his death, Mr Baker’s sister Wendy Barnes said his death was “devastating” and would be widely felt.

She said he leaves behind his partner of 29 years, Petrea Ellis, and children Taryn, Rhys, Tyler, Dylan and Joel – plus five grandchildren and a sixth on the way.

Mr Warren’s friend, Chris Baker, said he joined the rail industry in the late 1990s as a junior, and was soon regarded as a pleasure to work with and an excellent workmate who had a “no nonsense” approach to the job.

Originally published as Queensland truck driver Kevin Pearson denies causing death of Kevin Baker and Mick Warren