A 20-year-old man responsible for the car crash that killed his brother in Kambalda West last year has been told by a magistrate to honour his late loved one by building the best life he can.

Darcy Bowers had been drinking before the October crash and was sentenced in Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on Monday to six months jail suspended.

He had previously pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of his brother, Daniel Bowers, and driving with a blood alcohol reading exceeding 0.08.

Prosecuting Sgt Amy Southall said Bowers was driving a Holden Rodeo with his brother in the passenger seat along Casuarina Road in Kambalda West at 2.30am on October 8, 2025.

She said the road was unsealed and wet with “pooling water,” and neither brother was wearing a seatbelt.

Bowers was driving at 85km/h — below the speed limit of 110km/h — when he swerved from one side of the road to the other and lost control of the car.

The car left the road, hit a flood drain and rolled on to its side.

Daniel Bowers suffered significant chest injuries and was pronounced “life extinct” by paramedics at 3.43am.

Darcy Bowers was found to have a blood alcohol reading of 0.105.

Bowers’ lawyer, Mark Gunning, said his client was filled with guilt, anguish, remorse and grief.

He said the brothers came from a dysfunctional family with drug-addicted parents.

Bowers was on his P-plates at the time of the accident, and Mr Gunning said it was the first time he had been confronted with a wet road.

Mr Gunning said Bowers worked at a glass business in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and was doing “extremely well with employment”, especially given his dysfunctional background.

He said he had lost his previous job because of the charges.

Mr Gunning told the court Bowers’ father had only recently died, and the funeral was last Friday.

Magistrate Donna Webb proposed a suspended imprisonment order, but Mr Gunning argued for a fine or a community-based order, along with a spent conviction.

Sgt Amy Southall asked for a term of imprisonment but wasn’t opposed to it being suspended.

Mr Gunning asked the court to consider Bowers’ early guilty plea, his young age and his remorse.

Ms Webb said the offence was still “extraordinarily serious” and was aggravated by drinking, and a suspended imprisonment order was the only appropriate sentence.

“There is nobody in this court room who wouldn’t have some sympathy for you and for what you have to live with,” she said to Bowers.

“You’re still very young, you can still build a life.

“Perhaps the best way to honour your brother’s memory is to build the best life you can.”

Ms Webb sentenced Bowers to a suspended jail term of six months and one day.

He was also fined $850 and his driver’s licence was suspended.