Joshua Fowler pleads guilty to causing, fleeing from four-car pileup on Gold Coast Hwy at Miami

A man who caused and then ran from the crash – which left one person with serious injuries – has faced court, where it was revealed why he took flight. FULL DETAILS

Joshua Fowler leaving the Southport courthouse. Picture: Jessica Paul

A man who fled the scene after causing a four-car pileup on a major Gold Coast road during New Year’s Eve celebrations claims it was fuelled by panic and anxiety.
Joshua Matthew Fowler was driving the Mercedes Benz that ploughed into the back of a car stopped at a red light on the Gold Coast Hwy at Miami about 1am on January 1.

Southport Magistrates Court was told the force of the impact caused a chain reaction, pushing the first car into another two in front of it.

The 25-year-old was seen running away from the crash by several witnesses, but could not be identified at the time.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Ian Adams said one of the seven people in the car struck by Fowler’s suffered a lacerated liver, which could have been fatal if left untreated.

It was heard the person was in hospital for four days but did not require surgery.

Sen Const. Adams said most of the other cars were Ubers carrying passengers, with Fowler’s car and the one it hit both sustaining significant damage.

Defence barrister Michael Bonasia said the $180,000 Mercedes sedan belonged to Fowler’s mother and that the family was still unsure whether insurance would over the costs.

Joshua Fowler leaving the Southport courthouse. Picture: Jessica Paul

He told the court his client would “feel the sting” of his mandatory licence disqualification, as he owned and was the sole employee of a vending machine business that saw him travel about 500km a week.

“(Fowler) suffers from anxiety and has done so for some time, and such that he is prone to panic attacks,” Mr Bonasia said.

“He panicked and that’s why he left the scene. It wasn’t, in my submission, callous – it was in a state of panic.”

Mr Bonasia said Fowler tried to speak with police about the crash several times before eventually being charged, and that he had since written individual letters of apology to every person injured or with property damage following the collision.

Magistrate Sarah Thompson said she accepted Fowler was sincerely remorseful for the his actions, which had likely caused others involved “emotional harm” on a night they were celebrating the new year and hope for what it might bring.

Fowler pleaded guilty to one count each of driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm and failure to comply with the duties of a driver involved in a crash.

He was sentenced to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for six months.

Originally published as Joshua Fowler pleads guilty to causing, fleeing from four-car pileup on Gold Coast Hwy at Miami