Tyler Pearce fronts court over careless driving causing death

Gripped by fear of a stumbling woman in a hotel carpark in Mt Waverley, a young driver quickly reversed and slammed into her which led to her death.

Sarah-Jane Lysette died after a vehicle, driven by Tyler Pearce, reversed into her at a Traralgon hotel.

Young age saved a driver who reversed and struck a stumbling female in a hotel carpark who later died in hospital from going to jail.

Tyler Pearce, 22, appeared for sentencing in the County Court on charges of failing to stop after an accident, failing to render assistance and careless driving.

He was sentenced to three years community corrections order and fined $2000.

Pearce was staying with friends at a hotel in M Waverley when his car struck Sarah-Jane Lysette on the morning of January 17, 2023.

When Pearce came out of his hotel room that morning to go to work, he noticed Ms Lysette who had been living in emergency accommodation at the hotel stumbling around the carpark.

CCTV footage showed Ms Lysette unstable on her feet, stumbling around in the carpark, hunched over with her arms dangling towards the ground.

Police tracked down Tyler Pearce at his work and he made full admissions about the crash that claimed the life of Sarah-Jane Lysette.

She appeared extremely vulnerable and to Pearce, she appeared dangerous and he felt scared of her.

Pearce waited for her to move away and after some time, she moved a short distance and he started reversing the car.

Ms Lysette stumbled towards the driver’s side of the car and was struck by the side mirror, pillar, bonnet and wheel area of Pearce’s car and she fell to the ground.

Pearce then drove around her body, and left the carpark, leaving her lying prone on the ground.

Others staying at the hotel saw what had happened and called an ambulance.

When Pearce got to work, he discussed the collision with his workmates and said that he had decided to contact police at lunch time.

In the meantime, police tracked him down and Pearce made full admissions.

Ms Lysette died from her injuries the following day.

In his victim impact statement, her father Bill Letch describes her as a brilliant and loving daughter with whom he has had a strong and close bond, involving many shared adventures like fishing, camping, riding motorbikes and watching her perform on stage.

Sarah-Jane Lysette shared many fishing adventures with her father Bill Letch.

He said Ms Lysette had faced many challenges in life and who was in the process of making a fresh start. Her sister Jessica Letch wrote movingly about Ms Lysette’s challenges, her death in hospital, and the ongoing impact of her death on her father, on herself and on their mother.

Judge Andrew Palmer said the way in which Pearce treated Ms Lysette was wrong and that he would have to live with the consequences of what he did for the rest of his life, as would her family who have lost someone they dearly loved.

“The seriousness of your offending arises from the fact that you knew you had struck Ms Lysette, you knew she was lying prone on the ground, you ought to have known she had been seriously injured and you did not know how long it would take for someone else to come to her assistance.”

Judge Palmer said it was primarily because of Pearce’s young age that he was prepared to impose a non-custodial sentence.