Steve Bowen remembered as loving father following deadly Bruce Highway truck crash

A Townsville truck driver who tragically lost his life in a crash has been remembered as an “incredible person” and loving family man.

A Townsville truck driver who tragically lost his life in a crash has been remembered as an “incredible person” and loving family man.

Steve Bowen, 64, of Gulliver, died when the B-double he was driving was struck by a semi-trailer travelling in the opposite direction on Tuesday night near Stuart, south of Townsville.

He had one daughter, Tracey Payne, and was a proud grandfather to her three sons Connor, Noah and Zac.

Ms Payne described her father as being “simply amazing”.

Tracey Payne with her father Steve Bowen, who died in a truck crash south of Townsville.

“Words cannot begin to explain what an incredible person he was and how loved he is by all of us,” she said.

Steve’s cousin Karen Hillier fondly remembered growing up with him.

She said he was brought up in Finley, on the NSW border leading to Victoria.

“Later on in his life (Steve and) his parents, Ron and June, moved to Townsville,” Ms Hillier said.

Ms Hillier described Steve as a caring family man.

Steve Bowen, 64, loved his grandsons Connor (left), Noah and Zac.

“He adored his grandchildren, he would do everything for them, and he loved Tracey too,” she said.

“We were very close and Stephen would have done anything for his family.

“If I told Stephen I wanted that CD he would go out and get it. We were favourite cousins.”

Ms Hillier said Steve had been a truck driver all his life and “loved his job”.

On his time off, she said he could always be found looking over to Magnetic Island from The Strand with a coffee and cigarette in hand.

“He loved Townsville. He was always on the beachfront on The Strand,” she said.

Karen Hillier with her cousin Steve Bowen.

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Townsville Police district duty officer Senior Sergeant Scot Warrick said a semi-trailer was travelling northbound when it lost control on the Bruce Highway, about 400m north of the Townsville Crematorium.

“It was carrying a load which was a concrete and steel pumping device, so very large (and) a very heavy device that was on the back of that vehicle,” he said.

“At that point, in an attempt to regain control that vehicle appears to have crossed over the incorrect side of the road.

“At that time a B-double was heading south and it has collided with the trailer. Unfortunately it’s caused the pumping device to come loose and that has impacted the cabin of the B-double.”

Senior Sergeant Warrick offered his condolences to Steve’s family.

He said the crash caused extensive damage to the highway which had led to major delays in reopening it.

The driver of the semi-trailer was taken to Townsville University Hospital with non-life threatening head and abdominal injures.

Originally published as Steve Bowen remembered as loving father following deadly Bruce Highway truck crash