An inexperienced truck driver who crashed while traveling along the Castlereagh Highway and then lied to police about the incident, was convicted in his absence when he failed to appear in Mudgee Local Court on Wednesday.
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Trent Murray, aged 30, of Patterson Avenue, Keilor, was fined a total of $1600 for charges of 'Negligent driving' and 'Make false or misleading statement in report of motor vehicle accident'.
At about 11.30am on January 9, 2019, Murray lost control of the B-double and left the Castlereagh Highway in the Cudgegong area.
When questioned by police he said that a ute - registration unknown - travelling in the opposite direction, crossed the dividing lines and hit the truck's trailer. He claimed that he had to veer off the road, to avoid making the incident worse, then he lost traction on the overgrown grass.
Murray was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
Police then reviewed the truck's dash-cam footage, which contradicted his version of events.
No ute was seen prior to the incident and officers formed the opinion that Murray fell asleep, given the way the vehicle accelerated and veered off the road.
His logbook showed that he had taken the necessary rest stops, however it also revealed that it was his first shift driving such a vehicle.