A truck driver who ploughed into stationary cars on the Western Freeway near Gordon has said he was fighting fatigue before being responsible for a crash which saw multiple people airlifted to hospital.
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David Watson pleaded guilty in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on January 23, 2024, to multiple charges including dangerous driving causing injury and driving an unregistered motor vehicle.
According to a police summary, about 5.30am on October 7, 2022, Watson drove from his workplace in the Melbourne suburb of Hallam to Ararat, to help fix a prime mover truck.
After making repairs to the vehicle, Watson began driving the unregistered truck back to Melbourne about 11.30am, but later stopped at a service station in Beaufort to do further work on the prime mover.
Once Watson began driving towards Melbourne again, he started to feel tired and played with the truck's radio to help keep him awake.
When he approached Gordon on the Western Freeway, heavy traffic was banked up about two kilometres ahead of him, owing to an earlier collision.
At this time, Watson had the vehicle's cruise control set to about 98 kilometres per hour, and it's estimated he lost concentration for the next 80 seconds.
Watson was just 100 metres away from the line of stationary vehicles when his attention returned to the road.
He then failed to avoid the vehicles in front of him, and in the ensuing crash, two cars were heavily damaged, while a further three vehicles were also involved.
One of the heavily damaged vehicles was pushed through a wire road barrier and was trapped next to the prime mover following the crash.
Victims in both damaged cars were trapped for an extended period of time while waiting to be cut out of their vehicles, and when freed were airlifted to hospital.
A further four people were also taken to hospital from the less damaged cars.
There's references in the [witness] statements that he's upset immediately, and that's consistent with his prior history.
- Defence lawyer for David Watson
Watson was questioned by police on June 27, 2023, where he admitted to being tired while driving, and said he didn't recall seeing brake lights on the cars ahead of him.
"I just s--t myself when I looked up and saw the cars," he said to police in the interview.
"I was driving like an idiot."
Watson's defence lawyer said their client had showed contrition for his behaviour, and had been forthcoming about his fatigue and actions leading up to the crash when questioned.
"It's not uncommon for offending vehicles not to stop, that's not the case here, he came to a stop and has given a proper account for himself," they said.
"There's references in the [witness] statements that he's upset immediately, and that's consistent with his prior history."
To his [Watson's] credit, he's been honest and upfront about his fatigue.
- Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said it was "fortunate" no deaths occurred, and that the crash had caused significant ongoing impact on the lives of at least one victim.
But, she also commended Watson for his cooperation during the investigation.
"To his [Watson's] credit, he's been honest and upfront about his fatigue," Magistrate Mykytowycz said.
"That does go a long way in mitigation, it shows remorse right from the word go."
The matter was adjourned until March 14, 2024, so further victim impact statements could be obtained, and for a forensic assessment of Watson to be performed.
