Morgan Haverfield-Price in court charged with negligent driving after alleged road rage fatality at Chatswood

The hearing for a truckie who police say is responsible for the death of a taxi driver during a road rage incident on Sydney’s north shore has been pushed back by more than seven months.

Morgan Haverfield-Price outside Parramatta Local Court for a hearing following an alleged road rage fatality.

The hearing into the truck driver accused of causing the death of a taxi driver during an alleged road rage incident at Chatswood has been pushed back by more than seven months.

Witnesses of the December 2021 incident continued to give evidence at Parramatta Local Court on Friday, when the hearing was listed to return to court on September 20, so cross examination could continue.

Last week, the court heard how concrete truck driver Morgan Haverfield-Price allegedly had whiskey and cannabis the night before he got into an argument with 57-year-old taxi driver Joe Bucca at Fullers Rd on December 1 about 4.30pm.

During the first day of his hearing on Wednesday, the court aired a police interview in which Mr Haverfield-Price alleged the taxi driver overtook him before getting out of his Ford Focus hatchback on Fullers Rd where he tried to attack his fellow worker Jake Lesley in the passenger seat.

“I only saw him for a split second,’’ Mr Haverfield-Price said.

“He was just trying to get through the passenger side of the truck and I was just trying to drive to safety. I was freaking out.

Morgan Haverfield-Price (far left) pleaded guilty to driving with an illicit substance.

“It all kind of unfolded very suddenly.’’

The court heard how the cabbie tried to “hit and punch” Mr Lesley, who was a labourer at the company for which Mr Haverfield-Price was the director, and started screaming and swearing at them.

When Mr Lesley started yelling “go, go, go’’ the court heard how Mr Haverfield-Price “tried to take off” to get them to safety.

“It all happened so quickly, I was worried for Jake as well as myself,’’ he told police in the interview.

“I was worried what was going to happen. He was trying to hurt him with fists.’’

When Mr Haverfield-Price allegedly drove away on to the wrong side of the road, Mr Lesley started screaming for him to stop driving and he slammed on the brakes.

The court heard how only then did he realise the man had been struck.

“I was unaware till Jake told me,’’ he said.

“I was distraught.’’

The court heard how Mr Haverfield-Price called triple zero and said the taxi driver’s brains “were all over the place” and “parts of his brain were squashed”.

The court heard many of the details were “hazy” for Mr Haverfield-Price who told police after his arrest “apart from your mirrors” it was hard to see through the truck’s windows.

The court heard how the North Strathfield man had a “normal size” can of “370ml” of Jack Daniel’s on a job site at Narrabeen before getting into the truck. He told police he was prescribed medicinal cannabis, which he took the previous night.

“It helps me go to sleep, otherwise I have trouble sleeping and I’ve got back pain from work too,’’ he said.

Morgan Haverfield-Price (in orange T-shirt) is arrested after the fatality. Picture: TNV

Footage played to the court showed Mr Haverfield-Price was shirtless in the driveway of a house where he was arrested. He waited for his dad to collect his dog. He broke down in his father’s arms at the scene.

He asked police what would happen to his truck and wanted to contact clients because he had “a bunch of jobs” the following day.

He is fighting charges of negligent driving (occasioning death) and driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous.

On Wednesday, he changed his plea to guilty for driving a vehicle with illicit drug present in blood.

His family supported him in court and his bail has been continued.