A Wagga man has been convicted of 28 heavy-vehicle breaches. Photo: Traffic and Highway Patrol Command – NSW Police Force.
A ”lazy” Wagga truck driver who failed to appear in court on Tuesday (26 March) was ordered to pay $42,000 for 28 heavy-vehicle offences.
Mitchell James Armstrong was convicted of 28 offences including working more than the maximum standard time, not keeping records after work in his work diary, and 18 counts of not keeping records prescribed by the national regulations.
His case was heard and determined in his absence at Walgett Local Court on Tuesday and Magistrate Fiona Toose ordered Armstrong to pay $42,000 ($1500 per offence).
NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said Walgett Highway Patrol officers were conducting speed enforcement in the township of Walgett when they detected a heavy vehicle travelling at 64 km/h in a 50 km/h zone at about 11:30 am on 2 February.
The officers spoke with Armstrong, who produced a work diary that was immediately observed to be non-compliant in just the recent recordings.
Police noted that other authorised officers had recently spoken to Armstrong concerning these breaches. He was issued with a warning and directed to rectify his work diary but after multiple weeks, he had still failed to do so.
Armstrong told the police he was busy and that he intended to fill in his record later.
Police said he later told the officers he was just being lazy and planned to do it on the weekend.
Police seized Armstrong’s diary for analysis and issued a court attendance notice for his 28 offences.
He was further issued with a penalty notice for exceeding the speed limit by 10 km/h, fined $546 and deducted three demerit points.
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