Richard John Lamond sentenced at Lismore for dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm

A northern rivers truckie’s moment of inattention left a woman with horrible injuries after his 15 tonne truck shunted her off a northern NSW highway. Here’s what happened in court.

Richard Lamond was sentenced following a horrific crash on the Bruxner Hwy.

A Kyogle truckie’s moment of inattention left a woman with horrible injuries after his 15 tonne truck shunted her off the Bruxner Hwy

Richard John Lamond, 59, was sentenced at Lismore Local Court on Monday to a two year community corrections order and 400 hours of community service after pleading guilty to dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Lamond was driving a 10 tonne DAF tipper truck with an attached trailer weighing 5.5 tonne along the Bruxner Hwy at Mckees Hill towards Casino about 12:55pm on December 5, 2022.

A 69-year-old woman driving a blue Mazda in front of Lamond’s truck indicated for about 200 metres and slowed down to make a turn.

Richard Lamond outside Lismore Local Court.

The court heard Lamond had answered a FaceTime call in the seconds before the crash.

Lamond’s truck “collided heavily” with the rear of the Mazda, causing the vehicle “to be shunted off the left shoulder of the road“, court documents state.

The Mazda hit a drain and rolled, coming to rest on its roof.

“The victim was trapped in her car until being released by police rescue,” the documents state.

The court heard Lamond stopped his car as soon as he could and “held on” to her until emergency services arrived.

The woman was taken to Lismore Base Hospital with “very serious injuries”.

A 69-year-old woman was rushed to hospital with serious injuries following a crash on the Bruxner Hwy on December 5, 2022.

“These injuries included, but were not limited to, a fractured right arm and wrist, fractured left shoulder with torn ligaments and muscle, dislocated left elbow, serious bruising of her thighs and mild bruising on her brain,” the documents state.

“She has undergone numerous surgeries and is still attending regular physiotherapy.”

She is still receiving physiotherapy for her arm and hand that were severely injured, and they “may never work (properly) again”, Magistrate Michael Dakin noted in court.

However, the court heard the victim was grateful for Lamond’s concern and aid in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

Lamond’s wife had previously developed a “grave” and “life threatening” illness that had placed her on life support.

The court heard he answered the call from his wife because he feared she was having another medical emergency.

“Fearing the worst, he answered the phone call,” Mr Dakin said.

Mr Dakin said “on the one hand it was understandable, but on the other it was unacceptable” and the distraction had “grave consequences”.

Mr Dakin found Lamond to be remorseful and to be unlikely to reoffend, with an almost spotless driving record dating back to the 1980s.

Lamond’s licence was disqualified for the minimum period of 12 months.