A Preliminary Brief statement made by the informant with a statement of alleged facts provided by the Victorian Police stated that on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 6.28pm the 72-year-old male was driving a Kenworth K200 prime mover and towing two trailers in a southerly direction along the Benalla-Yarrawonga Road, Yarrawonga.
The prime mover and trailers were 26 metres in length.
The statement reads that the truck driver attempted to execute a U turn at the intersection of Beatties Road and while doing so the prime mover became bogged which caused the rear trailer to block the entire width of the Benalla-Yarrawonga Road.
The prime mover was facing north up the Benalla-Yarrawonga Road with its full beams and light bar operating.
Approximately 11 minutes later a 73-year-old male, was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee south down the Benalla-Yarrawonga Road towards the truck.
Also in the vehicle was the driver’s 74-year-old wife, and a family friend also 74 years of age.
While the victim was travelling south, the truck driver was sitting in his prime mover making a phone call apparently unaware that his full beams were operating.
The Jeep driver continued to travel south and was approaching the scene but was unable to see the trailer across the road due to the truck’s full beams.
At 6.39pm the Jeep struck the rear trailer at 97 kmph.
The three victims suffered broken ribs and sternum, dislocated thumb, small fractures to foot, cuts and bruises,
torn muscles and tendons from shoulder, broken vertebrae, punctured lung, deep lacerations to legs and internal bleeding.
The rear passenger spent three weeks in hospital and underwent five operations.
In a statement made by the truck driver that appeared in the preliminary brief and was presented at Cobram Magistrates Court on May 10, it stated he had been driving B double trucks for 30 odd years and attempted the U turn as he missed an earlier turn off.
The truck was also fitted with warning devices consisting of witches hats and reflectors however according to the Preliminary Brief statement were failed to be deployed by the truck driver. Also, in the Preliminary Brief statement it was also alleged that the truck driver had in the first instance failed to contact 000 for immediate assistance or physically warn the oncoming victim’s vehicle.
Leading Constable Griffith who attended the scene and questioned the accused after the incident stated that the Jeep Cherokee was ‘lucky’ that it had hit the B double’s tyres as had the car hit the trailer, police would have been dealing with a triple fatality
P Plater 49kmp/h over limit
A 17-year-old Mulwala resident with a Probationary Licence was detected driving along Old Wilby Rd Yarrawonga at 149kmh in a 100 zone around 9:15pm on Monday, May 16.
The 17-year-old had passengers in the vehicle in breach of licence conditions with the vehicle impounded.
The driver is to face court at a later date for a number of traffic offences.
