Joshua Andrew Peterson sentenced over crash which killed Shanti Wren

Joshua Andrew Peterson, 34, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment with a parole date possible in less than two years for causing the motorcycle crash death of Port Douglas woman Shanti Wren, 27, on March 2, 2022.

Family and friends of Shanti filled Cairns District Court last Wednesday, October 16, where they heard Judge Tracy Fantin detail Peterson’s shocking history of driving offences and details of the fatal crash as the result of him riding while intoxicated with Shanti as a pillion passenger.

Prior to the fatal crash, his traffic history included 16 incidents of speeding, as well as driving unlicensed and driving while under the influence. His licence was disqualified in Queensland and Victoria at the time of the crash, which happened on Barrier Street near Four Mile Park.

Walking away uninjured from the crash, Peterson was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of between 0.124 and 0.143 at the time of the crash.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death while affected by an intoxicating substance in June of this year.

“You deliberately got on a motorcycle knowing that you had been disqualified from driving by court order a short time before that, and knowing you were adversely affected by alcohol,” Judge Fantin said.

“Your driving was completely and utterly reckless to the safety of your pillion passenger.”

Before Ms Fantin set a sentence of six years with parole set for after 22 months on August 16, 2026, the court heard impact statements from Shanti’s parents, Lisa O’Neill and Phillip Wren.

Ms O’Neill said her world came to a crashing halt when she received the phone call that her daughter had died.

“Since that day I have been on a lonely, confusing and excruciating journey,” she said.

She told the court of her pain seeing Peterson “free as a bird” continuing to live his life and football training.

“It felt like a sick prank, where is my daughter? Why are you living your life while my daughter has lost hers?”

Ms O’Neill said she could not stay in Port Douglas, concerned she might bump into Peterson unexpectedly, and that she felt her life had been “hijacked by an uninvited stranger’’.

“I have reccurring nightmares about Shanti’s fateful night, I see her terrified face as she clings on for dear life around that corner,” she said.

“I want to desperately run to her, protect her and save her. The pain I feel is torturous.’’