Mohinder Singh is serving a 14-and-a-half year jail sentence over the crash.
After the company itself and its managing director changed their pleas, only one official of a Sydney transportation company is left to contest charges related to a truck crash that killed four police officers in Melbourne.
On April 5, Connect Logistics and Corey Matthews admitted guilt to the charges brought by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator in connection with the fatal traffic collision.
In July of last year, they took a different stand and entered not guilty pleas.
On April 22, 2020, Mohinder Singh’s 19-ton semi-trailer, which he was operating, collided with two police vehicles and four policemen after stopping Richard Pusey’s speeding Porsche.
Leading senior constable Lynette Taylor, senior constable Kevin King, senior constable Josh Prestney, and constable Glen Humphris perished in the collision.
Singh was drugged up and sleep deprived at the moment.
He received a 22-year sentence in April 2021. However, after a successful appeal, this was lowered to a maximum of 18 years and 6 months in August of the following year.
The Downing Centre Local Court is still hearing the cases against Connect Logistics and its executives about alleged failures to guarantee that drivers remained fit for duty and free from the effects of exhaustion, drugs, and alcohol.
Connect Logistics and Matthews have now entered guilty pleas, joining Shane Chalmers, the state manager, who did so on July 18 of last year.
Only National Operations Manager Cris Large is contesting the allegations, continuing to enter a not guilty plea in front of Magistrate Daniel Reiss during a current hearing.
The NHVR asserts that Connect Logistics violated its obligations by failing to make sure that drivers were evaluated and monitored for fatigue, drugs, and alcohol, putting the public at danger of death or serious harm.
One count of violating their obligations as executives to make sure Connect Logistics complies with its safety regulations, including by putting in place suitable anti-fatigue and drug testing programmes, is brought against Matthews and Chalmers.
On October 19, they will appear before the courts once more. May 31 is Chalmers’ subsequent court date.
