Luke Sagula pleads guilty to Wandong collision which injured Andrew Price

A judge has been left perplexed as to how a horrific collision that nearly killed a man occurred where speed, drugs and alcohol were not a factor.

Judge Geoffrey Chettle was at a loss to explain how this collision occurred when speed, alcohol and drugs were not a factor. Picture: Channel 10

A chippie may have been affected by flashing lights when he veered onto the wrong side of the road before ploughing into a ute, seriously injuring the other driver.

Luke Sagula, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving causing serious injury in the Shepparton County Court on October 24.

Sagula drove his white Toyota HiLux into victim Andrew Price’s ute on July 22, 2023 when he veered onto the wrong side of the road.

Sagula and Mr Price were approaching each other on Broadford-Wandong Rd, Wandong at 6.22am when Mr Price flashed his headlights at Sagula who had failed to turn down his high beams.

Sagula then drove across the solid lines on the road and ploughed into Mr Price’s vehicle.

Sagula was transported to Royal Melbourne Hospital under police guard while Mr Price was flown to The Alfred, where was given a 20 per cent chance to live.

Sagula was arrested on September 7 and gave a no comment interview.

Mr Price was left with horrific injuries including fractured ribs, a broken sternum and a punctured lung.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Price said he cannot do basic household chores and has been diagnosed with PTSD.

Mr Price’s letter also revealed he and his partner planned to get engaged and start a family just weeks before the collision.

Andrew Price was lucky to survive the collision which left him for dead at Wandong on June 22, 2023.

“We may have missed our chance to start a family,” Mr Price said.

Mr Price described the time since the collision as a “rollercoaster”.

“This accident has put a massive strain on my relationships with family, friends and partner,” Mr Price said.

The court heard Sagula had been studying an online course at Kangan Institute late the night before and said he was tired when the collision occurred.

Judge Geoffrey Chettle said Sagula’s driving was at the lower end of moral culpability with speed, drugs or alcohol not a factor in the collision.

Judge Chettle said that Sagula “should not have driven tired”, but said the “elephant in the room are the lights on high beam”.

“I can’t work out why these two cars collided,” Judge Chettle said.

“It seems likely there was some dazzling effect of the lights being flashed.

Luke Sagula may have been affected by Mr Price’s flashing lights when he veered onto the wrong side of the road and ploughed into his ute. Picture: Facebook

“There’s nothing to explain why he was on the wrong side of the road … The only thing that it could be is the flashing of the lights.”

Judge Chettle told the prosecutor David O’Doherty “why on earth would I lock this kid up” when he asked for a combination sentence which would involve some jail time.

Sagula was supported in court by his partner Alysha, while he had character references that referred to him being “caring, hardworking and trustworthy”.

The court heard Sagula would likely lose his job as a maintenance worker in Donnybrook as he would have his licence taken from him for 18 months.

The court heard Sagula had one prior conviction for a traffic offence back in 2020.

Sagula will be sentenced at 2.15pm.