After falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a pasture, killing a woman and wounding multiple other passengers, a minibus driver was sentenced to prison.
Following his guilty plea to 13 charges, including dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing injury, related to the May 2021 regional Victoria collision, Bruce Kenneth Slater was sentenced to 12 months in prison today.
Judge Peter Lauritsen of County Court sentenced the 77-year-old, citing alarming indicators in Slater’s driving that other passengers had observed prior to the collision.
Slater had been leading a group on a silo art tour from a senior citizen’s club in Gunbower, northern Victoria.
Following their departure on May 20, a number of passengers voiced their displeasure with Slater’s driving style and speed after observing him swerve the minibus ten times onto the gravel shoulder of the road.
After they had lunch in Benalla, one of the other passengers sensed that Slater was driving the car onto gravel once more, which made them concerned.
Around 2:30 pm, Slater fell asleep, causing the minibus to slide off the road and collide with a post.
Despite the cries of onlookers, he did not alter his trajectory.
Following a minor collision with a tree, Slater abruptly turned the car to the right, causing it to pass across oncoming traffic and into a ditch.
The vehicle rolled three times before coming to a stop in a paddock.
According to an accident reconstruction, the bus was moving at high to 120 km/h. Casey Spark, 40, of Echuca, was thrown off the bus and passed away immediately after.
With potentially fatal injuries, three more people—including Spark’s mother Shirley—were sent to the hospital.
Ursula Sutcliffe, another passenger, had her right leg amputated below the knee.
Lauritsen claimed that although Slater had experienced sleep apnoea since the middle of 1990, his CPAP equipment was not well-maintained, which increased the likelihood that he would become excessively sleepy.
However, the judge stated he did not believe that particular deterrence was necessary to keep Slater out of the community.
“Your ability to drive appears severely impaired from a physical perspective,” Lauritsen stated.
“At present, you use a walking frame to move about, even apart from any period of disqualification, one supposes your driving days are over.”
The judge mentioned Slater’s long list of medical conditions, which included diabetes, heart and renal disorders, and stated that he has been living in an assisted living facility since June.
“It is true that you run the same risk of passing away in prison as you would have in the community. The distinction is that you are under custody,” Lauritsen remarked.
Slater’s licence was revoked for five years, and he will serve a two-year community corrections order after being released.
