Dunedin truck driver to pay $15k to victim's family

Jason Anderson died at the scene of the incident in Fryatt St in October 2019. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A driver who reversed over his mate and killed him at a truck stop will pay his victim's family $15,000.

Daniel George Brown, 37, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after last month admitting careless driving causing the death of Jason Bryan Anderson, 48.

He was sentenced to 300 hours' community work and banned from driving for 10 months.

Anderson's wife of 14 years described the magnitude of her loss in court.

"The bottom dropped out of my world," she said.

"It's like a wave breaking over you. It just knocks you over."

The victim's 33-year-old daughter and mother of four of his grandchildren said her dad made friends wherever he went.

"He made such a positive impact and it's just gone in an instant," she said.

On October 22, 2019, the defendant had stopped his large truck, with a hydraulic crane on the rear, at a refuelling depot in Fryatt St.

Brown and a colleague, supervised by Anderson, were shifting property from a ship docked at the wharf to a yard on the southern side of the truck stop.

During the day, the defendant had made several trips, unloading fishing equipment, the court heard.

At 4.13pm, the trio had a meeting, after which Brown and Anderson agreed to return to the vessel to further discuss the next day's work.

Brown would drive, Anderson would walk through the heavy rain.

CCTV captured the 20-second tragedy as it unfolded.

The defendant reversed across the truck stop as the victim, wearing his reflective coat and hard hat, passed behind the vehicle,

That, Judge Emma Smith said, proved to be a "very poor decision".

The rear of the truck knocked him over and continued for another 13m, the footage showed.

Brown said he stopped when he felt a "crunch".

Court documents noted the heavy vehicle had travelled nearly 50m to where the collision occurred and was moving at about 9km/h with reversing lights and beeper.

"It is not known why Mr Anderson attempted to cross the path of the vehicle," the police summary said.

Brown may have seen the victim briefly, either directly or in his wing mirror, before the man entered a blind spot.

The driver immediately called out for help and tried to reach emergency services, only to find his cellphone battery was flat.

The victim was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Brown told police he believed Anderson was planning to walk in the other direction and thought he was "well clear" of the truck at the time of impact.

Inspection of Brown's logbooks found no indication he had taken his required breaks that day, police said.

Judge Smith said Anderson's family had treated the defendant with "incredible good grace" at a restorative justice conference.

At its conclusion they said they did not want him to go to prison.

The family was now focused on honouring Anderson as they moved on with their lives.

"I look forward to doing things to celebrate Jason," his wife said.

"I won't let Jason down. I'll make a good life and keep him in it."