Gurpreet Singh, 44, fronts Hornsby court and pleads not guilty to death driving charges

A Box Hill truck driver has faced court and entered pleas for his alleged role in the death of elderly man after a crash at Cowan just after Christmas.

Gurpreet Singh, 44, faced the Hornsby Local Court on Thursday.

A Box Hill truck driver has faced court following a horrific crash on the M1 just after Christmas which resulted in the death of an elderly man.

Gurpreet Singh, 44, faced the Hornsby Local Court on Thursday charged with a number of driving charges with the most serious being negligent driving causing death and failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact caused death.

Mr Singh entered pleas of not guilty to all charges including failing to stop and assist a vehicle, negligent driving and failing to stop and assist a vehicle after impact causing grievous bodily harm.

General view of the M1 near Cowan.

Police allege that on December 28 last year, about 6.15am, emergency services were called to the M1 at Cowan following reports of a crash involving a prime mover and a hatchback.

The incident is alleged to have occurred on the northbound lanes about 2km south of the Morgans Rd overpass.

Paramedics treated four people from the hatchback at the scene with an 82-year-old man travelling in the rear passenger seat suffering critical internal injuries, and two women, aged 78 and 50, suffering fractures.

All four – who are from Carindale in Queensland – were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for further treatment. The driver, a 53-year-old woman, was not seriously injured.

Officers established a crime scene with the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit commencing an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

It’s alleged Mr Singh failed to stop after the crash and was later arrested at the Heavy Vehicle Inspection Station at Mount White.

Mr Singh was taken to Hornsby Police Station, charged and was granted conditional bail.

His bail was extended on Thursday and he will face court again on March 27.