Former Lismore man could face jail over Rock Valley dangerous driving case
“I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be jail”: The man had previously told the court he couldn’t see the road, but the judge said that was “impossible”.
Police & Courts
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A man who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on the Northern Rivers has been warned he could face jail time as the case inches closer to sentencing.
Darren Rodney Stevens fronted Lismore District Court for a dispute of facts hearing on Monday, following a previous guilty plea to dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
The court heard Stevens was driving a Toyota Camry on March 4, 2019, at Rock Valley, near Lismore, when his car was involved in a collision.
A man in the other vehicle was injured as a result of Stevens’ dangerous driving.
It was agreed Stevens was under the influence of morphine at the time.
A number of witnesses, including attending ambulance officers, provided material for Monday’s hearing which debated whether Stevens was behind or below the wheel at the time of the crash.
Judge Jeffrey McLennan said a previous challenge that Stevens couldn’t see the road because sunlight was in his eyes was “impossible”.
“Anyone who knows anything about this area knows when you’re travelling north the sun usually rises where it rises, which is in the east,” Judge McLennan said.
Judge McLennan stated the main issue at hand was whether Stevens had failed to “properly manage control of a motor vehicle”.
It followed a prolonged proceeding in which the difference between the words “weaving” and “veering” were raised.
“If your client was in charge of a motor vehicle, it behaves like that, and on the face of things there’s no explanation for it except an untruthful one, I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be jail,” he said to Stevens’ solicitor Rod Behan.
A full sentence assessment report was ordered and the matter was scheduled for sentence on August 6.
Stevens, who now lives in Gladstone, had previously lived in Lismore and Yamba.
Stevens was granted unconditional bail.
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