An Indian on a student visa was driving with an international driver’s licence when he allegedly caused the death of Fern Hill father John Wilson after a head-on collision on Thursday.
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Hari Bommareddy, 24, was driving a delivery truck in Newbury when it allegedly veered onto the wrong side of Greendale-Trentham Road and ploughed into Mr Wilson’s sedan about 7.45am.
Mr Wilson, 30, died at the scene. He had just left his family home in Fern Hill, a small rural community east of Trentham.
His fiance and two-year-old child arrived shortly after and were comforted by police as the road was cordoned off with crime scene tape.
Bommareddy, who lives in Geelong, was granted bail with strict conditions at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Police allege Bommareddy said Mr Wilson was travelling on the wrong side of the road, along the northbound lanes, and caused the collision.
However, Detective Leading Senior Constable Matthew Hunt told the court evidence at the scene refuted the accused’s statement.
“Evidence shows (Mr Wilson) has braked heavily prior to impact, leaving a skid mark that was up against the outside fog line for the south-bound traffic,” Detective Leading Senior Constable Hunt said.
Driving an Isuzu truck for delivery work, Bommareddy had completed his first job to a Bacchus Marsh cafe and was travelling to Trentham for another delivery when the head-on collision occurred.
He told police he was awake and driving at the time of the collision, and held an international driver’s licence from India, Detective Leading Senior Constable Hunt said.
Police did not oppose Bommareddy’s bail application, but urged the court to impose conditions he surrender his passport, not leave Victoria, not drive a motor vehicle and report to police three times a week.
Magistrate Jon Klestadt granted bail with those conditions, saying a flight risk was a concern.
The court was told Bommareddy was on a student visa studying a master of engineering management at Deakin University in Geelong.
Two men supported him in court during the hearing.
Bommareddy will front Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on May 16 charged with dangerous driving causing death.
Speaking at the scene of the crash on Thursday, Detective Sergeant Col Schmidt of the Major Collision Investigation Unit urged drivers to take care.
“The message is the same – it’s always the same – slow down,” he said.
“Drugs and alcohol do not go with our roads. Make sure you’re rested. Take your time and assess what’s going on around you.”
The collision comes days after Liberal MP Sarah Henderson called for a more stringent approach to international driver's licences.