French potato harvester Christopher Mercier faces Ballarat court over Wilsons Rd, Bullarook collision

A regional potato harvester has faced court over a “horrific” crash near Ballarat which left his girlfriend in hospital for nearly two weeks.

Wilsons Rd in Bullarook in July 2023, a month before Christopher Mercier, 30, was involved in a two-car collision for which he has faced Ballarat court. Picture: Google Maps

A French national has escaped conviction over a “horrific” crash on a small country road which caused his passenger life-threatening injuries.

Former potato harvester Christopher Mercier, 31, faced Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, over a two-car collision in Bullarook, northeast of Ballarat.

The court heard at 10.50am on August 3, 2023, Mercier was on a lunch break driving south on Wilsons Rd, which is 4.9m wide and unmarked, with his girlfriend in the passenger seat.

Another vehicle was travelling north, and as Mercier reached a bend in the road and was “confronted by a large ute barrelling towards him”, he veered to the right.

The other vehicle moved to the left and they collided head-on at the edge of the road.

Mercier faced Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Mercier and his partner were flown to The Alfred, with the latter suffering life-threatening injuries and spending 13 days there.

The woman has since recovered.

The other driver was taken to hospital for an injured hand.

At the moment of collision, Mercier was found to be driving at 43km/h, and the other driver at 85km/h.

The court heard Mercier saw the ute and panicked, and that some muscle memory from driving on the right side of the road in France might have come into play.

He pleaded guilty to two charges and was fined $900 with costs of $140.40.

His licence was not suspended or cancelled, and he was not convicted.