Onkar Group Pty Ltd, director Maninder Singh Nagi charged with Kialla delivery driver death

A logistics company and its director have been accused of negligence resulting in the death of a delivery driver who veered into the path of an oncoming truck following a long day at work.

Onkar Group Pty Ltd and its director Maninder Singh Nagi, 48, fronted the Shepparton Magistrates Court on November 12.

A Keysborough logistics company and its director have been accused of negligence resulting in the death of a delivery driver near Shepparton.

Onkar Group Pty Ltd and its director Maninder Singh Nagi, 48, fronted the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on November 12.

In August 2022, a delivery driver was 12 hours into a shift delivering baked goods in Victoria’s north when his delivery van drifted into the path of an oncoming truck in Kialla West.

The delivery driver died at the scene at the intersection of the Goulburn Valley Highway and Moira Dr, while the truck driver sustained serious injuries.

Mr Singh Nagi and the company face one charge each for recklessly engaging in conduct that placed another person at a workplace in danger of serious injury.

It is alleged both Onkar Group and Mr Singh Nagi failed to reduce the risk of slower reaction times, lapses in attention or falling asleep by ensuring the worker took adequate stationary rest breaks and time out of a vehicle.

WorkSafe will allege the company failed to provide and maintain safe systems of work, failed to provide necessary information, instruction and training, and failed to provide necessary supervision in relation to fatigue management.

It is alleged those breaches were attributable to Mr Singh Nagi’s failure to take reasonable care as director, for which he faces a further six charges.

Onkar Group and Mr Nagi will face court again at a later date.