Dozy driver drifting before truck rolled
A VETERAN truck driver appeared to be falling asleep at the wheel moments before the crash that killed thousands of chickens in North Geelong in January, a court has heard.
Nicholaas Dejong of Drysdale had 6500 chickens on his truck when it rolled on a bend after crossing the Separation St overpass on the morning of January 15.
Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard the man had worked through the night, and had almost completed his third return trip between Geelong and the Mornington Peninsula when he lost control of the vehicle.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kylie Jane told the court thousands of chickens were killed after being thrown from the truck, while others had to be euthanised.
She said police had to close the busy road for almost seven hours.
Dejong, 59, told court the incident was a low point in his 40-year career as a professional truck driver, explaining he had worked in Australia for decades, and had also spent many years working long-haul jobs in Europe.
“I realise I could’ve killed myself, or, even worse, killed someone else,” the father of two teenagers said.
Sen-Constable Jane said a witness told police about Dejong’s erratic driving in the lead-up to the crash, concerned he was drifting off to sleep while behind the wheel.
The witness said the truck was swaying in its lane, and almost touched other vehicles, forcing them to change lanes.
“Fatigue is a hidden killer,” magistrate Cynthia Toose said.
However, she noted the man had an otherwise impeccable record in his long career as a truckie, and had left his job in search of a 9-5 shift.
Dejong pleaded guilty to a count of careless driving yesterday, and was fined $1000 without conviction.