Benjamin Reginald Cruskall sentenced in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for driving with meth in system on Warrego Highway

A court has been told the owner of a trucking business busted with meth in his system after getting stopped on the Warrego Highway resorted to using ice so he could break even on his family and business expenses.

A court heard the owner of a trucking business resorted to using meth so he could break even on his family and business expenses after he was caught drug driving on the Warrego Highway west of Toowoomba. Picture: Kevin Farmer

An interstate truck driver who put himself and the community at risk by driving on the job with methamphetamine in his system has been taken off the road for one month.

Benjamin Reginald Cruskall was intercepted by police on the Warrego Highway at Kingsthorpe, west of Toowoomba, after a member of the public reported the road train before 7am on June 13.

When the 40-year-old Perth man pleaded guilty to drug driving before the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday, December 9, the court was told police checked the father of six’s dashcam and found no issues with his manner of driving.

Police RBT operation on the Warrego Highway. Photo: FILE /Kerry O’Neill

Before Cruskall entered his guilty plea, police discontinued a number of charges following a “court diversion” which included possessing a dangerous drug, possessing used drug pipes, and possessing a knife in public.

After a positive roadside reading for meth, the court was told police were forced to tow the trucking business owner’s road train which was fully loaded and blocking an eastbound traffic lane.

The court was told Cruskall had no criminal history and his traffic history contained a drink driving charge from 20217.

Solicitor Alysha Jacobson said the self-employed man was under significant financial pressure, which included funding the private school education for five of his six children.

Ms Jacobson said Cruskall strongly regretted using methamphetamine to keep himself awake on the road and realised the decision had negative flow-on effects for his family.

“His (current) partner doesn’t work so he’s the sole income earner,” she said.

“Essentially one of the issues with respect to the offending… is the amount of pressure he was under at the time to keep driving the truck and doing as many runs as possible.

“I’m instructed that he needs to earn $50,000 a month to be able to break even for the business and his family to continue.”

Magistrate Michelle Dooley told Cruskall his offence was serious, however she was persuaded by Ms Jacobson to sentence him to the minimum licence disqualification period of one month.

“You were in charge of a road train on the Warrego Highway which is a notoriously difficult stretch of road where there had been a number of accidents over the years, this is what concerns me greatly,” she said.

“(Drug driving) puts you at risk and substantially puts the community at risk.

“It is of great concern that you would elect to… drive after using a relevant drug.”

Cruskall was fined $1000 and ordered to pay the $405 towing fee.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Benjamin Reginald Cruskall sentenced in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for driving with meth in system on Warrego Highway