David Hastings to appear at contested committal hearing over road worker’s death at Trawalla

More than 15 witnesses are expected to speak in the case of a man charged over a crash near Ballarat that killed a road worker.

David Hastings has been charged with dangerous driving causing death. He appeared at Ballarat Magistrates' Court on July 27, 2023.

A man implicated in the death of a road worker will face a contested hearing in mid-December over the incident on the Western Highway nearly three years ago.

Lucas man David Hastings was charged with dangerous driving causing death following a fatal crash at Trawalla in October 2020.

A 59-year-old road worker from Creswick died after he was allegedly hit by Hastings’ Toyota ute.

The worker was setting up road works near the Trawalla on-ramp to the Western Highway about 7.20am when the incident happened.

The Ballarat Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday more than 15 witnesses were expected to be called to speak on the matter.

Some outstanding material was provided to Mr Hastings’ defence lawyer Jacob Kantor in the middle of Thursday’s hearing, a police informant having been off work for more than a year prior.

In June last year, the prosecution received an application to discontinue the case, but a contest committal is now scheduled for December 18.

It will run for three to four days.