Maverick Robert Carl Fisher sentenced in Roma Magistrates Court years after serious crash in Amby

Hiding in the scrub, a drunk ute driver watched as paramedics desperately tried to save his critically injured 19-year-old friend. It wouldn’t be enough to stop him from another dangerous trip - this time involving cocaine. DETAILS.

Roma Court House.

A country Queensland football player will not serve a single day behind bars despite his erratic drunk driving causing a serious crash from which he fled, leaving his young friend dying on the roadside.

Maverick Robert Carl Fisher hid in the scrub for more than an hour, as paramedics desperately worked to save the life of then 19-year-old Caitlin Williamson and treated another of his seriously injured friends in May, 2022.

Fisher returned once the final police vehicle had left but was caught by an off-duty police officer who was working to clear the debris.

Two and a half years on from the horrific crash, which left Ms Williamson with a traumatic brain injury, the gallery of the Roma Magistrates Court was empty but for one supporter, as Fisher was sentenced this month.

Caitlin Williamson was 19 when she suffered a traumatic brain injury in a ute crash caused by drink driver Maverick Robert Carl Fisher.

Now 24, Fisher, who is from Roma and plays for the Wallumbilla Surat Red Bulls RLFC, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm, drink driving, failing to remain at the scene of an incident and render assistance.

It was also revealed he had not learned his lesson about the risks of driving under the influence and pleaded guilty to drug driving in November, 2023.

Police prosecutor Ellysha Geddes told the court that in the first instance Fisher was returning from a hunting trip with friends, when he flipped his ute on the Warrego Highway near Amby at 12.50am on May 28, 2022.

Sergeant Geddes told the court occupants in the car travelling behind Fisher saw the vehicle swerve on the road twice before he overcorrected, causing the car to rotate.

Fisher had two friends in the car with him.

Neither was wearing a seatbelt, and both were ejected as the car flipped in the remote location.

The male passenger, who was 25 at the time and Ms Williamson both suffered serious injuries.

Sergeant Geddes said Fisher stayed around long enough to dial triple-0 using the phone of the driver in the car behind, but by the time emergency services arrived on scene at 1.10am, he was nowhere to be found.

She said police used thermal imaging to attempt to find Fisher but were unable to locate him.

Searches of his phone records showed he tried to make multiple calls to the other male passenger, his parents, and the female driver of the witness vehicle.

“Police obtained the triple-0 recording which confirmed the defendant to be quite calm in his speech when reporting the incident,” Sergeant Geddes said.

“This call, combined with the defendant’s persistent attempts to contact other persons at the scene appeared somewhat indicative of the defendant being somewhat cognisant of the situation and actively avoiding police following the incident.”

While waiting for paramedics to arrive, the injured male passenger attempted to help Ms Williamson, who lay unconscious, struggling for breath.

Paramedics rushed her to Mitchell Hospital, and she was subsequently flown to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.

She was treated in the intensive care unit for a traumatic brain injury, various fractures, and other serious injuries as a result of the crash.

An hour and 18 minutes after the crash, following the departure of the final police vehicle, Queensland Rural Fire Service officers saw Fisher emerge from the scrub on the opposite side of the highway.

“One of the QFRS officers on scene was an off-duty police officer who subsequently contacted officers to return to the scene,” Sergeant Geddes said.

Fisher was then also taken to Mitchell Hospital.

Sergeant Geddes said when he was told he had to provide a blood specimen, he became argumentative.

“The defendant commenced claiming that the incident had happened at 12am, stating that the three-hour window for a specimen had expired,” Sergeant Geddes said.

Eventually, she said Fisher relented, and a blood specimen showed an alcohol concentration of 0.069.

A forensic investigation concluded that at the time of the crash, Fisher’s BAC would have been between 0.099 and 0.159.

Sergeant Geddes told the court there was no mechanical fault with the vehicle, nor was anything wrong with the roadway, which had recently been resealed.

Eighteen months after the crash, on November 28, 2023 Fisher was intercepted by police in Roma at 12.38am, where he was found to be driving with cocaine in his system.

Although Fisher pleaded guilty, magistrate Michael Wood said the facts in the matter might not constitute that Fisher was driving “without due care and attention”.

Caitlin Williamson is now 21 and has recovered from the horror injuries she suffered in the crash.

Once it became apparent that Mr Wood was reticent to accept the police evidence, Fisher’s solicitor, Trevor May, requested to vacate the guilty plea to that charge.

However, when that was not accepted, Mr May eventually told the court the crash was caused by “momentary inattention”.

Mr May tendered to the court multiple references which he said attested to Fisher’s character.

He said immediately following the crash, Fisher tried to get himself out of the way, was in “shock,” and became “delirious”.

“This matter occurred approximately 17km from Mitchell, there probably wasn’t too far he could go,” Mr May said.

The court heard Fisher grew up in Roma and worked and lived in the town, with his partner.

Mr May told the court his client had been in a relationship with his partner for two and a half years and was a stepfather figure to her children.

Since the time of the crash, Fisher had participated in the traffic offenders' program.

Mr May said in the time following the crash, Fisher remained friends with Ms Williamson, but the relationship deteriorated in the last month.

“My client does not understand why,” Mr May said.

Mr Wood said in sentencing Fisher, he needed to send a message to the community that this type of offending was not acceptable, but also considered his rehabilitative needs.

“You have had these matters hanging over your head now for about two and a half years, I have no doubt that has taken a toll on you and your family,” Mr Wood said.

Maverick Robert Carl Fisher ran to a car after he was sentenced in the Roma Magistrates Court.

For driving without due care, Fisher was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and his licence was disqualified for the minimum period of six months.

For failing to remain at the scene and render assistance, he was ordered to serve 100 hours community service.

For drink driving on May 28, 2022, he was ordered to pay $750 and disqualified from driving for three months.

For drug driving in November, 2023, he was fined $450 and disqualified from driving for one month.

All convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Maverick Robert Carl Fisher sentenced in Roma Magistrates Court years after serious crash in Amby