A grieving sister has vented her frustration over the penalty handed to the killer driver for trying to run from police days after causing her brother’s death.
Incredible CCTV footage shows the moment a convicted killer driver Tristan James Watson seizes an opportunity to escape custody enroute to jail after weeks of ‘despicable’ deeds.
“I don’t understand it, I don’t think it’s very fair,” Mackay mum Kelly Moreland said.
Her brother Brendan Moreland was killed in the early hours of October 26, 2021 after Tristan James Watson slammed into him in a Toyota Rav4 on the Ron Camm Bridge.
The 35-year-old traffic controller had been packing equipment at the end of his shift when the stolen vehicle ploughed into him causing his body to become airborne and flung about 50m in front of three workmates.
Mackay traffic controller Brendan Moreland was tragically killed in a hit and run on the Ron Camm Bridge in October 2021. Picture: Kelly Moreland
Watson fled before driving back past the scene of the tragedy, not stopping despite there being emergency crews onsite.
Hours later police pulled him from a roof cavity in Carlyle St and he was taken into custody.
Then on November 2 as he was being driven from Mackay to the Capricornia Correctional Centre in Rockhampton, Watson leapt out of the police vehicle during a stop at Sarina Police Station and tried to escape.
Incredible CCTV footage shows the moment a convicted killer driver seizes an opportunity to escape custody en route to jail after weeks of despicable deeds. Picture: contributed
He was quickly captured, but made it 5m.
In November 2022 Watson was sentenced to 5.5 years jail over the fatal hit-and-run that was cumulative to an earlier six year sentence, bringing the total to 11.5 years over his head with parole eligibility on September 23, 2024.
Police seize a vehicle from a Petrie St unit complex in East Mackay as part of investigations into a fatal hit and run on the Ron Camm Bridge in North Mackay shortly after 4am on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Picture: Janessa Ekert
Watson, 29, had initially denied the attempted escape lawful custody, pleading not guilty right up until the day of his hearing when he backflipped and the matter was set down to be finalised in early May.
And for that he had his parole eligibility date extended to October 2024.
Tristan James Watson is arrested hours after he dangerously drove a stolen Rav4 striking and killing road worker Brendan Moreland.
“We’re talking about a man who has a 12-page criminal history,” Ms Moreland said.
“He had been given multiple opportunities for rehabilitation … he obviously doesn’t want to be rehabilitated.”
Kelly Moreland, sister of Brendan Moreland, speaks out after the driver responsible for the fatal hit and run that killed her brother is jailed. Picture: Janessa Ekert
Ms Moreland said she believed “you’ve done the crime, you’ve got to do the time”.
“He doesn’t seem to show any remorse,” she said.
Ms Moreland said from a victim’s family’s point of view the justice system was not fair.
“He’s changed his plea at the 11th hour,” she said.
“He’s not being penalised enough for the individual crimes.
“That’s the most frustrating thing.”