Man sentenced to three years in prison over fatal Cowra minibus crash

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6 days ago

A driver who crashed into a courtesy minibus, causing an elderly man to be thrown from the vehicle and killed, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison.
Scott Death, 34, appeared in Orange District Court on Thursday where he was sentenced over the death of Raymond Padgett, 84, in front of nearly a dozen of the victim's family and friends.
Death pleaded guilty in June to dangerous driving occasioning death and five counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct relating to the deadly crash on the night of December 16, 2023.
Magistrate Penny Musgrave told the court Death reversed out of a driveway at speed in the NSW central west town of Cowra and hit a Cowra Bowling Club courtesy bus.
Mr Padgett was ejected from the vehicle and died.
The bus driver and four other passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to Cowra Hospital for treatment.
Magistrate Musgrave sentenced Death to three years and two months in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of 18 months.
The sentence is backdated to March 2025, with Death eligible for parole in September 2026.
Family and friends of Mr Padgett and Death were seen crying in the courtroom after the judgement was handed down.
Magistrate Musgrave repeated a statement made by Death to police the following day when he was arrested.
"I didn't even see the headlights of the other vehicle."
Magistrate Musgrave told the court the crash caused the bus to roll 23 metres from the site of the collision.
"He knew the intersection was there at the end of the laneway and he did not slow down," Magistrate Musgrave said.
"He had put his foot down on the accelerator."
As the events of the incident were read out to the court, Death was visibly emotional as he sat in the dock.
Once the sentence was handed down, Death was heard to say to his family, "It's only 12 months … I'll see ya (sic) in a year."
On Tuesday, five victim impact statements were read out to the court.
They were from victims of the incident and Mr Padgett's family members.
"Each have gone through many emotions as a result of this incident and the effect on them is evident," Magistrate Musgrave said.
"They describe him as a beloved father, a great mate."
Prior to the crash Death had attended a family function where he consumed five alcoholic beverages, the court heard.
Magistrate Musgrave said while walking home an argument ensued between Death and his partner before he decided to drive to his grandfather's grave, "as he did when upset".
Magistrate Musgrave said Death recorded a mid-range alcohol level when tested by police following the crash.
"The risk was not limited to Mr Death … but users of that part of the road were put at risk."
The court heard following the collision, Death lied to police, claiming that he was not the driver and that his vehicle had been stolen.
The next day after speaking with his family, Death attended Cowra Police Station where he admitted to being behind the wheel of the car.
"He said he was scared because he had four kids at home and did not know how to say goodbye to them," Magistrate Musgrave said.
"He provided an explanation for his lies … I accept that his remorse was extensive."