A truck driver involved in a fatal crash in March has appealed his licence suspension after being charged with dangerous driving causing death and negligent driving causing death.
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Justin David Noel Howarth, 25, of Trainor Court, is on bail and on Tuesday appeared in Orange Local Court to appeal a licence suspension notice he had been given on August 31 following an investigation.
Emergency services were called to the scene of a crash on The Escort Way about noon on March 23, where a prime mover and a Toyota LandCruiser towing a trailer had collided.
A 72-year-old man, who was a passenger in the LandCruiser, was trapped the car, sustained serious head and internal injuries and died in hospital about a week later.
Howarth was represented by solicitor Mason Manwaring who said his client needed his licence back so he could work and there was unlikely to be an outcome to the matter for at least a year due to the workload in the district court where it will need to go to a hearing.
“This matter will not come up for hearing in district court for 12 to 18 months,” Mr Manwaring said.
Mr Manwaring said the crash happened after his client applied the brakes.
“This is a fellow who was driving a truck for his employer, he pressed the brake going down a hill and the trailer let go and crossed the road,” Mr Manwaring said.
“Your Honour will see that his licence is a requirement of his job.”
Magistrate Bruce Williams said he was not supposed to hear information that would be raised during a hearing, but allowed the appeal.
“These are really strange appeals, they say I shouldn’t look at the circumstances of the facts,” Mr Williams said.
“It’s clear his licence is vital to his work.”
