Roma man jailed over death of nephew Riley Wells after highway crash

Australia Broadcast Center

3 hours ago

Riley Wells was just six years old when he died in a vehicle driven by his uncle that rolled on a remote country Queensland road.
The boy's uncle, Jessie James Dennis, and a female passenger escaped the wreck, but Riley was trapped in the utility, which lay in the path of oncoming traffic.
About 1:30am on January 6, 2022, a large truck slammed into the ute on the Carnarvon Highway, near Injune, west of Brisbane.
Riley died at the scene.
On Monday in the Toowoomba District Court, Dennis, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.
Judge Dennis Lynch sentenced Dennis to three-and-a-half years' jail, to be suspended after eight months.
Riley's heartbroken parents, Shanowahh Dennis and Ian Wells, were in court for the proceedings.
Outside court, Ms Dennis said she loved her little boy.
"He just loved everything, he loved his siblings, he loved fishing, pigging, shooting, he just loved it all," she said.
"He was a very happy little boy."
The court heard the tragedy had fractured the once-close Roma family.
"Half our family's on one side, half our family's on the other side," Ms Dennis said.
"You try to be in the middle, and you try not to have sides, but eventually people pick sides."
The court heard that on the night of the crash, with the knowledge of the boy's parents, Dennis and a female friend took Riley on an evening kangaroo shooting trip.
Riley was strapped in the front seat of the utility with a seatbelt across only his lap instead of a child restraint as required by law, the court heard.
In outlining the case, Judge Lynch said when the trio was returning from the kangaroo shooting trip, Riley was on the seat between Dennis and the female passenger when he "kicked out" with his leg, making contact with the steering wheel.
"Your attention was distracted whilst you tried to move him … your vehicle went on the wrong side of the road, entered into the gully on the other side.
"You tried to correct, you lost control and the vehicle rolled."
Judge Lynch said it was a "serious example" of dangerous operation of the vehicle.
"Not because of your loss of control, but because of your deliberate decision to drive the vehicle with Riley in that position," he said.
"It's hardly something which is not foreseeable, that the child is not safe or might interfere with your operation of the vehicle, given the position he was in. That's exactly what occurs."
The defence submitted that the incident did not involve excessive speed, or the use of alcohol, and that Dennis continues to suffer grief over the tragedy.
Judge Lynch said he considered several points in Dennis's favour while considering the sentence.
"Riley was your nephew. You were very close to him. I accept that you are remorseful for your conduct and continue to grieve for Riley," Judge Lynch said.
Judge Lynch mentioned the emotional victim impact statement of Riley's mother, which had been tendered to the court.
"I don't know whether you've read your sister's victim impact statement, but hopefully you will come to understand the enormous impact that your conduct has had upon the wider family," he said.
"There has been, as expected, a significant impact upon Riley's mother."