Jaiden Dieter Paustian pleads guilty to fatal crash that killed Louis Moore

A dangerous driver who caused the death of his close mate Louis Moore had a disqualified licence and drugs in his system when he got behind the wheel. Find out what happened.

A dangerous driver who caused the death of his close mate and business partner in a horror highway crash had a disqualified licence and was on parole when he got behind the wheel and dozed off.

It only took about “four seconds” for Jaiden Dieter Paustian to change the lives of two families when the ute he was driving slammed into two vehicles on the Bruce Highway at Mount Elliott on July 14, 2019 with catastrophic results.

Jaiden Dieter Paustian pleaded guilty in Mackay District Court to dangerous driving causing the death of his friend Louis Moore.

His passenger Louis Moore, who had asked Paustian to take the wheel because he was tired, died at the scene despite frantic efforts to save the 25-year-old Eimeo father.

Mackay District Court heard the pair had been returning from Townsville where they had bought a mower and box trailer for their new lawn mowing business.

A witness saw the vehicle driving towards him when it was about 200 metres away before it crossed the double white lines.

It struck one vehicle towing a boat trailer, causing it to roll multiple times before then hitting another.

The court heard the dangerous driving was not lengthy and Paustian told police “he thought he’d fallen asleep”.

Paustian, who also had drugs in his system at the time, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death – he was not charged with a circumstance of aggravation.

Paustian and his childhood friend Louis Moore were driving back from Townsville when he caused a fatal crash on the Bruce Highway. Picture: Evan Morgan

He has spent just shy of 15 months in jail on pre-sentence custody.

The court heard the 25 year old had a disgraceful driving history littered with speeding, unlicensed driving, demerit point suspensions, hooning and disregarding late-night driving restrictions.

“This is the worst history I’ve seen,” Judge Julie Dick said, labelling him ”a danger” on the road.

“Even as a bicycle rider he‘s not wearing a helmet, he just can’t do anything right.”

Crown prosecutor Nigel Rees submitted for a three-and-a-half year jail term and five-year driving disqualification, which defence barrister Scott McLennan argued was too high.

“Mr Paustian was friends with Mr Moore since primary school, they became very close and he’s devastated by his death,” Mr McLennan said.

Louis Moore was killed in July 2019 in a horror highway crash. His friend and the disqualified driver behind the wheel Jaiden Dieter Paustian pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death.

The court heard his client had been a sporadic methylamphetamines user and had used the drugs two days before the fatal crash.

Mr McLennan said Paustian had about 6.5 hours sleep, but Judge Dick said he would have been aware that he was tired.

“There is no suggestion he was speeding … so it takes two cars … about 3.6 seconds to meet, so the inattention here is about … four seconds max,” Mr McLennan said.

“He‘s disqualified this time when he kills this young man,” Judge Dick said.

The court heard Louis Moore‘s mother wrote an “extraordinary” letter in support of Paustian, in which she said ”the roles could have been swapped with him driving”.

Paustian struck a ute causing it to roll multiple times on Bruce Highway at Mount Elliott. Picture: Evan Morgan

Judge Dick said this was the “only reason” she planned to reduce the jail term by six months.

“But his attitude to court orders and his attitude to driving is astounding,” Judge Dick said.

“It just shows a blatant disregard for disqualifications, for requirements, conditions on your licence. It’s almost insane when you read it.”

Judge Dick jailed him for three-and-a-half years, suspended after serving 394 days, which was declared as time already served. He was disqualified from driving for four years.

“You got to get it through your head ‘I do not have a licence’,” she said.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Jaiden Dieter Paustian pleads guilty to fatal crash that killed Louis Moore