Tungamah man Matthew O'Kane pleads guilty to Goulburn Valley Hwy crash

An aspiring Tungamah farmer failed to stop after crashing into the back of a car on Goulburn Valley Highway and was later seen by police speeding at more than 155km/h.

Police recorded a Tungamah man travelling at more than 155km/h after he had fled the scene of a car crash.

An aspiring Tungamah farmer failed to stop after crashing into the back of a family car on Goulburn Valley Highway before he was later seen by police speeding at more than 155km/h.

Matthew O’Kane appeared in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to a stack of driving charges.

The 28-year-old was driving south on the Goulburn Valley Highway three days after Christmas in 2023 shortly before 6pm when he ran into the rear of a car in front of him.

One passenger was taken to the Goulburn Valley Hospital as a precaution for neck injuries and the others sustained whiplash.

Less than an hour later police saw O’Kane driving on Katamatite-Nathalia Rd, Numurkah and followed him, detecting his speed at 157km/h.

On December 29, O’Kane attended the Yarrawonga police station where his car was impounded for 30 days.

Matthew O’Kane pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to driving charges on Wednesday.

He told police he had been awake for 30 hours and was probably “nodding off” and “losing concentration”.

He said while the impact might have woken him up it didn’t feel like “a real thing” and that it “didn’t really happen”.

Defence lawyer Geoff Clancy said O’Kane was going through a difficult time in 2023, having witnessed the death of a colleague at work and his engagement had ended.

“He accepts his behaviour fell well below what’s required of a driver, he should have stopped,” he said.

Mr Clancy said O’Kane was involved with the Tungamah Football Club, volunteered around the community and had ambitions of becoming a farmer.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski said driving after being awake for as long as O’Kane had been was equivalent to getting behind the wheel while intoxicated with slower reaction times and awareness.

“After not sleeping for 30 hours you are a danger on the road,” he said.

O’Kane’s licence was suspended for 12 months and he was convicted and fined $3000.