Crash driver drug allegation

A MAN had a cocktail of drugs in his system when he allegedly caused a crash that killed an unborn child, a court has heard.

Bell Post Hill man Shane Bausch appeared in Geelong County Court yesterday where he faces numerous charges including dangerous driving causing serious injury.

The 54-year-old was involved in a major collision with another car near Bannockburn in March 2016.

A woman in the other car suffered serious injuries and was flown to hospital where her 31-week-old unborn child died. Mr Bausch avoided culpable driving charges because under Victorian law a foetus is not recognised as a child until it has taken a breath.

The court heard evidence Mr Bausch had ice and other drugs in his system at the time of the crash, which prosecutors allege affected his driving.

But defence lawyer John Sutton argued the drugs allegedly found in his system did not influence the crash.

Mr Sutton said a doctor’s report tendered by the prosecution — which indicated Mr Bausch’s driving was impaired by the drugs — was unreliable because the doctor was not a toxicology expert.

Mr Bausch was in court seeking a sentence indication but the case was adjourned.

He is set to face a trial before a jury later this year.