A man from south-west Victoria has been sentenced to a minimum of two years and four months in prison following a three-vehicle accident last year.
Key Points:
The court learned that Jason Hanson was distracted while putting his coffee back into a holder at the time of the crash. Judge Richard Maidment characterized this distraction as “significant.” One survivor of the incident now lives with paraplegia.
Jason Anthony Hanson admitted to several driving offenses, including dangerous driving resulting in death and serious injury, as well as failing to adhere to minimum rest requirements.
On September 14, 2021, the 49-year-old was operating a 57-tonne B-double truck on the Western Highway when he collided with a car turning into a rest area.
The impact caused the car to be thrust into oncoming traffic, resulting in the deaths of two women, ages 42 and 71, and leaving 37-year-old Shaun Leggett seriously injured with major spinal cord damage.
‘Unthinking Negligence’
During the sentencing at Melbourne County Court, Judge Richard Maidment noted that Hanson had failed to pay adequate attention for a “prolonged” period before the accident.
Hanson claimed he was merely sipping coffee and reaching for the cup when the accident occurred. Judge Maidment referred to this lapse as “unthinking negligence,” emphasizing that the driver should have been aware of the risks involved.
The judge acknowledged that Hanson has been experiencing post-traumatic stress and mental health challenges since the incident. As the details of the crash were read in court, Hanson visibly emotional, and he ultimately received a sentence of three years and 10 months, with a minimum time to serve of two years and four months.
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