Duane Stegert avoids jail for dangerous driving after smashing into cop car on Eastern Fwy

A dangerous driver smashed into a cop car on the Eastern Fwy leaving the severely injured police officer unable to work again.

Duane Stegert smashed into a police car stopped on the Eastern Fwy in 2018.

A police officer’s career came to a brutal end when he was hit by a car as he spoke to a driver alongside the Eastern Freeway, a court has heard.

Duane Stegert, 35, was sentenced in the County Court to a two-year community correction order after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury.

Stegert crashed into a police car stopped on the side of the freeway about 9pm on April 23, 2018, causing a senior sergeant to end up pinned between it and a concrete barrier.

The officer was crushed by his own police car, sustaining serious injuries, including a fractured spine and pelvis.

Just before the crash he had seen another driver speeding and using her phone and had put on his car’s flashing red and blue lights to try to get her to stop breaking the law.

The court heard she instead stopped in the emergency lane, and, concerned about her position by the busy road, the officer pulled up behind her.

He stopped his car partially in the emergency lane and partially in the right lane to create a “safety corridor” for her, and had his flashing red and blue lights, hazard lights and headlights on.

The officer was out of his car talking to the driver when Stegert, who had been doing 100km/h in the right lane, hit the back of the police car, causing it to hit the other stationary car and the officer.

The impact of the crash caused Stegert’s car to spin.

The court heard a witness told police the freeway was busy as usual and it was dark but fairly easy to see the police car from a distance, saying Stegert should have been able to safely avoid it.

Stegert, who was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time, said he initially hadn’t seen the police car and had tried to swerve.

Judge Wendy Wilmoth said the crash must have been caused by “a moment of inattention —

a failure to see what was apparently obvious”.

The court heard the officer was left with limited mobility and ongoing discomfort and pain, bringing about the end of his policing career.

A statement given to the court revealed not one aspect of his life was untouched by the incident, with the father unable to keep coaching his son’s football team and suffering from PTSD.

The court heard Stegert had suffered remorse and distress since the crash which occurred almost two years to the day of this year’s Eastern Freeway tragedy which left four officers dead.

It was heard he had worked as a security guard since finishing school, and had good rehabilitation prospects, keen to start work for the defence force.