A jury has acquitted truck driver Jamie Gleeson of seven charges related to dangerous driving, following a serious incident involving a school bus that left seven children injured. This ruling was made on Wednesday in the County Court of Victoria.
The incident occurred on May 16, 2023, approximately 900 metres from Exford Primary School, located west of Melbourne. Gleeson was accused of not maintaining a safe distance from the bus or paying adequate attention prior to colliding with it. However, he consistently denied any allegations of reckless driving.
Gleeson claimed he did not notice the bus’s brake lights or turn signals until just before the impact, suggesting that the bus may have failed to signal its right turn. The bus driver, Graham Stanley, testified that he began to slow down about 100 metres before the crash but was unsure if the brake lights remained illuminated throughout the deceleration. He confirmed that his indicator was on.
The collision led to the bus rolling onto its side after being struck by Gleeson’s truck. During the trial, it was revealed that the truck skidded for around 25 metres before the crash, travelling at a speed of 67 km/h when it hit the bus. Subsequent tests showed that the truck’s brakes were malfunctioning, a fact of which Gleeson was unaware, and records indicated that the vehicle had been regularly serviced.
Importantly, there were no indications of alcohol or drug use, nor any evidence suggesting that Gleeson was speeding or using his phone at the time of the incident. A spokesperson for Gleeson’s legal team expressed that he remains deeply affected by the accident, empathising greatly with the injured children and their families. He expressed gratitude to the jury for their careful deliberation regarding his case.