One-day Hobart inquest examines the final moments of delivery driver killed in tragic head-on

A young man says he has no memory of driving on the wrong side of the road in the lead-up to a disastrous crash that claimed the life of delivery driver John Tscherkaskyj.

Kobe Brenden McCauley leaving the Hobart Magistrates Court last year.

A young man says he has no memory of driving on the wrong side of the road in the lead-up to a disastrous crash that claimed the life of delivery driver John Tscherkaskyj.

Kobe Brenden McCauley, 20, gave evidence at a Hobart inquest on Monday before the heartbroken family of Mr Tscherkaskyj – a 56-year-old man affectionately known as “Custard” and a father of 13.

In October last year, McCauley was given a suspended five-month prison sentence for negligently causing Mr Tscherkaskyj’s death at Glenora in an August 2021 head-on collision.

He was also convicted for causing grievous bodily harm to his passenger, Emily Wrigley, who suffered a fractured spine and underwent surgery requiring rods and bolts.

McCauley was also seriously injured in the crash.

John Tscherkaskyj, more affectionately known as John Custard Jay, with his large family. The Mercury delivery driver was tragically killed in a car accident in August 2021. Picture: Supplied

On Monday, he returned to court – this time to help the coroner and Mr Tscherkaskyj’s family understand what caused the tragic crash.

Under questioning from Emily Bill, counsel assisting the coroner, McCauley denied he’d drunk alcohol or taken drugs or any prescription medications and said he was not hungover on the night of the crash.

He also denied he’d used his phone to change the song on his car speaker, but said he had noticed black ice and patchy fog earlier in the evening.

McCauley said he did not remember being on the wrong side of the road, and had few memories of Mr Tscherkaskyj’s car.

“Only the high beams, then nothing,” he said.

McCauley and Ms Wrigley had been driving back from a party at Ellendale when the crash occurred about 1.40am.

Ms Wrigley told Coroner Robert Webster that she fell asleep about five minutes into the drive, and only “woke up on impact”.

She said the night was “cold, pretty icy” and the road had been wet when they left the party.

Constable Jarrod Gowan, who worked as a crash investigator, told the court he’d determined McCauley was not asleep at the time of the crash and had not been speeding.

He said the roads were dry, and that the crash occurred when McCauley was “cutting a corner”.

Giving evidence to the court, Kellie Jay said that Mr Tscherkaskyj, her long-time partner, had always been a sensible driver.

“He would always have his seatbelt on, just a little bit further up the road, because he always wanted to come back home to the kids,” Ms Jay said.

“He was looking forward to coming home that night, we had plans.”

Mr Webster will hand down his findings at a date to be determined.

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