A former Wangaratta truck driver was found to be on cannabis when his semi-trailer collided with a ute on the Great Alpine Road last year and killed the driver. The man appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday to plead guilty to drug driving. The court heard he was not charged with culpable driving causing death or driving under the influence of drugs. It heard about 1pm on 15 January, 2025, a utility was performing a U-turn between Cemetery Lane and Burgoigee Creek at Bowmans Forest when it collided with the defendant’s Kenworth prime mover. The 80-year-old Bowmans Forest man and sole occupant of the utility died at the scene. The court heard it was raining at the time. Emergency services arrived and police spoke to the accused, who was uninjured and remained on the scene. Police took the man to Wangaratta hospital where he gave blood samples, later testing positive to cannabis. He was interviewed at Wangaratta Police Station on 26 March, 2025 where he told officers he had smoked cannabis about 5:30pm the night before the collision. He told police he had been a smoker for 36 years and used cannabis regularly. In an emotional state at court, the accused said after the incident he stepped back from truck driving and started forklift work with his employer. He was asked to get back into the truck when another driver had lost their licence, but the truck driver of 25 years told the court he couldn’t do it. “I’m just trying to get myself better,” he said. The court heard he had received mental health counselling since the incident. Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Stuart Pritchard said there were no winners following the incident and urged the court to consider a longer disqualification period to ensure the accused saw the help he needed. Magistrate Megan Casey did not exceed the minimum disqualification of six months due to the accused not being charged with being at fault and the “profound” impact it had on him. Magistrate Casey placed the man on a 12-month good behaviour bond, where he was ordered to make a $500 court fund donation, partake in a behaviour change program and continue ongoing treatment. “It’s a distressing event for both you and the victim’s family and friends,” she said.
