Goran Joveski sentenced over crash which killed truck driver Peter Howard at Epping in 2019

The truckie who killed a fellow driver at Epping will not be jailed, despite the “terrible tragedy” he was responsible for.

A truckie who caused a fatal crash, leaving a much-loved fellow driver dead, won’t see the inside of a jail cell after being sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Monday.

Goran Joveski, 44, faced court after previously pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Peter Howard, 50, at Epping in December 2019 and prosecutors had urged Judge Wendy Wilmoth to jail him.

Joveski owned a small logistics company which delivered shipping containers, and his truck was equipped with retractable stabilising arms to allow him to load and unload them.

Truckie Goran Joveski killed fellow driver Peter Howard in a crash at Epping in 2019. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

One of the arms was broken, and needed to be manually retracted, but Joveski drove off without doing so, and it collided with the cab of Mr Howard’s truck on Miller St, killing him instantly and throwing his body onto the street.

Judge Wilmoth said most people who plead guilty to dangerous driving causing death are sentenced to jail time, but she said Joveski’s conduct was not as serious as someone who was speeding or drunk.

She said Joveski’s case was on a similar level to people who drove a vehicle knowing it had faulty brakes.

Truck driver Peter Howard died at the scene of the crash.

Peter Howard was thrown from the cab of his garbage truck. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

But, she said the circumstances in which Mr Howard died were extremely unusual and that Joveski’s “compelling and rare” case justified him not going to jail.

Joveski has failing eyesight and it is unclear whether his medical needs would be met in prison.

He will also lose his livelihood because of a mandatory license disqualification and, had he gone to jail, would have faced the prospect of losing both his business and his family home.

Judge Wilmoth said she accepted Mr Joveski was “consumed with guilt” about causing Mr Howard’s death, having told a psychiatrist that not a day passed without him thinking of the man he killed.

Truck driver Peter Howard was a dedicated father, son and husband, as well as a stalwart of his local cricket club.

“Mr Howard’s death was a terrible tragedy which has brought untold grief on his wife, his mother and his children,” Judge Wilmoth said.

Mr Howard was a devoted husband, father and son, a longstanding member of the CFA, and a stalwart of his local cricket club.

Judge Wilmoth sentenced Joveski to a three year community corrections order, with 300 hours of unpaid community work.