The faces behind fatal Bruce Highway crashes spanning the Rockhampton and Gladstone regions

Thirteen lives have tragically been claimed on the Central Queensland stretch of the Bruce Highway in the past three years, including a young father of a one-year-old baby boy.

Wayne William Bellette (left), Jaiden Fraser (top right) and Shane Morse (bottom right) have been killed in crashes on the Bruce Highway in Central Queensland in the last three years.

A 25-year-old motorcyclist, killed in a crash on the Bruce Highway near Rockhampton, is one of 13 people whose lives have been claimed on the highway in Central Queensland in the past three years.

The Depot Hill man suffered critical injuries from the accident, 1km south of Rockhampton, about 10.30pm on March 25, 2024.

Attempts to save him were unsuccessful and he died at the scene.

Wayne William Bellette.

Just days before Christmas, 18-year-old dad Wayne William Bellette died after the vehicle he was driving on the Bruce Highway at Ambrose left the road shortly after 6.30pm on December 22, 2023 and rolled near Gentle Annie Road.

Tragically, the Toolooa, Gladstone man sustained critical injuries and passed away at the scene.

Two passengers, a 17-year-old Toolooa boy and a 19-year-old South Gladstone man, sustained non-life threatening injuries and were taken to Gladstone Hospital for treatment.

Wayne left behind a one-year-old son and his partner, who was expecting their second child.

A GoFundMe fundraiser that was created to help Wayne’s family described him as a man with a bright future ahead of him, stating “he loved his family more than anything”.

Jaiden Fraser, 25, was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Canoona, north of Rockhampton, on September 11, 2023. Picture: Contributed

Jaiden Fraser was driving a blue 2010 Holden Commodore northbound on the Bruce Highway at Canoona, north of Rockhampton, on September 11 about 10am before it left the road, crashing into trees and rolling.

Sadly, the 25-year-old Yandina man was declared dead at the scene.

Police said the blue 2010 Holden Commodore ran off the highway and crashed into trees before overturning.

Jaiden’s mother, Paganne Kupfer, said her son was lovely and beautiful and she would remember his “cheeky attitude”.

“He was a s**t stirrer,” she said.

“He liked playing jokes and pranks.”

Jaiden Fraser. Picture: Contributed

Jaiden left behind a brother, two sisters, and a niece and nephew.

A 64-year-old truck driver from Laidley died after this crash at Raglan Creek Bridge near Mount Larcom.

A 64-year-old Laidley man died after the truck he was driving rolled on the Bruce Highway north of Gladstone on August 6, 2023.

The crash occurred some time before 9pm, with the driver’s vehicle discovered by a passing motorist at the Raglan Creek Bridge near Mount Larcom.

SIX LIVES CLAIMED IN 2022

Two people, a man in his 30s and a 21-year-old woman, died following two traffic crashes on the Bruce Highway at East End, south of Mt Larcom in the Gladstone region, on December 14, 2022.

The man was the driver of a truck which rolled over about 1.10pm.

Shortly after, the 21-year-old woman from Red Hill — who was the passenger in a car involved in a two-vehicle crash with a separate truck at the same location — died at the scene.

A 52-year-old Gladstone man died following a two vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway near Calliope on September 4, 2022.

About 7am the sedan the man was travelling in was heading northbound on the Bruce Highway between Calliope and Benaraby when it collided head-on with a truck, early investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit indicated.

A man in his 70s died following a two-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Iveragh, south of Gladstone, on July 17, 2022.

Initial investigations indicated the head-on collision occurred about 5.47pm at the intersection of Christensen Road and the Bruce Highway between a northbound Ford Falcon and a southbound Toyota HiLux.

Gold Coast man Shane Morse, 62.

Gold Coast man Shane Morse, 62, was driving an Australia Post truck hauling two trailers of mail when he was killed in a head-on collision on the Bruce Highway near Marlborough, north of Rockhampton, on June 21, 2022 about 4.30am.

Sunshine Coast woman Jennifer Joan Turner, 41, was sentenced to 10 years prison in the District Court in Rockhampton on December 1, 2023, over the fatal crash after pleading guilty to one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while intoxicated by meth and excessively speeding, drug driving and contravening police direction.

Three days of the 524 days served in presentence custody was declared as time served and Turner must serve eight years before parole eligibility.

RACQ CapRescue flew a man in his 20s involved in a single-vehicle rollover on the Bruce Highway at Ogmore, north of Rockhampton, in the vicinity of Marlborough. Picture: RACQ CapRescue

Joshua Brown, 24, died after a crash involving a stolen ute – where he was a passenger – on the Bruce Highway at Ogmore, near Rockhampton, on April 24, 2022.

Mr Brown was flown to Rockhampton Hospital in a critical condition following the crash involving a Toyota HiLux.

William Noel Armstrong, 21, was sentenced to nine years prison in the District Court in Rockhampton on April 26, 2023, over the fatal crash – where he was the driver – after pleading guilty to armed robbery with violence, wilful damage, dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, break and enter, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and stealing.

He was eligible for parole on June 27, 2023, and disqualified from holding a driver’s licence absolutely.

THREE PEOPLE KILLED IN 2021

Emergency services at the scene of a serious crash between Bajool and Marmor on the Bruce Highway, south of Rockhampton, on November 26, 2021.

A 53-year-old Morayfield man died after suffering critical injuries and becoming trapped in a vehicle after a front end loader and ute collided on the Bruce Highway, south of Rockhampton, on November 26, 2021.

About 8.15am, a gold-coloured utility and front-end loader collided while travelling on the highway at Bajool, according to Queensland Police Service.

A 21-year-old Rockhampton man from The Range died following a crash on the Bruce Highway at Midgee, south of Rockhampton, on September 22, 2021.

Investigations indicate about 4.30am a sedan was being driven south along the highway when it left the road, collided with a tree, and caught alight.

A 55-year-old Narangba man died in a two-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Benaraby on June 16, 2021.

According to Queensland Police Service, at 11.30pm a truck was heading south on the highway when a SUV, also travelling south, collided with the rear of the truck.

The man, a passenger of the SUV, died at the scene.

Originally published as The faces behind fatal Bruce Highway crashes spanning the Rockhampton and Gladstone regions