Truckie to face trial for space camp crash
Students involved in a horror bus crash were spared being called to give evidence against the truck driver accused of causing the carnage.
Brett Michael Russell, 61, returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday as magistrate Kieran Gilligan ruled he should face trial.
Mr Russell was arrested after he allegedly struck a Loreto College school bus northwest of Melbourne about 3.15am on September 21, 2022, causing it to roll down an embankment.
Dozens were injured in the crash, including 25 students, the bus driver, school staff, three road workers and Mr Russell himself.
The students and staff had been travelling to Melbourne airport for a trip to the US to attend a NASA space camp.
Prosecutors allege the father of four knew brakes on both trailers were inoperable and he failed to pull over after his truck’s brakes ran out of air about 15km before the collision.
The section of the highway had been reduced to a 40km/h speed limit due to an unrelated crash the previous evening that closed the right-hand lane, police alleged.
According to a summary of the alleged events, Mr Russell “ignored” warning signs his vehicle was unsafe and was driving downhill “with no ability to slow the vehicle” prior to striking the rear of the bus.
“It’s a double lane and I knew I’d make it down there,” Mr Russell allegedly told police.
“All I wanted to do was get to that rest stop area at … Melton”.
Mr Russell’s lawyer John Lavery told the court the cause of the crash was not disputed, but Mr Russell was contesting the seriousness of some injuries.
“This is a committal of a very narrow scope – the extent of injury,” he said.
He told the court he expected his client to plead guilty to an “appropriate indictment” but added: “We’re a long way off.”
Over Monday and Tuesday, 12 witnesses were called to give evidence about the alleged physical and psychological injuries suffered by some of the staff and students.
Many of these were medical professionals who outlined their contact and treatment, but three adults involved in the crash were briefly questioned about their medical treatment.
Most of those on the bus, the court was told, continued to receive treatment for alleged physical and psychological injuries to this day.
The court was told a “few” children had been included on the witness list because there was not enough information from their healthcare providers.
But on Tuesday morning, prosecutor Susan Borg said the Crown and Mr Russell’s defence had reached an agreement and the “child witnesses” would not be called.
She said Mr Russell would reserve the right to seek an order for them to be cross-examined at a later date if “further information is not available”.
Mr Russell pleaded not guilty to 80 charges, including negligent driving causing serious injury, recklessly engaging in conduct endangering death and recklessly causing injury.
He was committed to the County Court for trial by Mr Gilligan.
