Donald Dureau appears at Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court for fatigued driving and smashing into vehicle on South Gippsland Highway

An exhausted driver who crashed into another car, injuring the occupants, has faced court. Find out what happened.

An exhausted Warrnambool driver had only had four hours sleep before he crashed into another car, injuring the occupants.

Donald Dureau pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court on Friday to causing “extensive damage” to another car.

Just before 6.30pm on September 25, 2021, Dureau entered a 60km/h construction zone on the South Gippsland Highway, crashing into another car.

One of the passengers in the other car suffered a head injury and lacerations, and the driver suffered injuries to their torso, the court heard.

Dureau apologised at the scene.

Donald Dureau appeared at the Warrnambool Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Dureau visited the Leongatha Police Station on October 19 last year, where he told police he only had four hours of sleep the night before the collision.

He is currently undergoing treatment with a psychiatrist and seeing a mental health nurse frequently, the court heard.

The court heard Dureau’s employment was a 45 minute drive from his home, and a court document said a loss of licence would affect him.

Magistrate John Bentley said he understood the distance would affect Dureau’s work and so suspended his licence for just two months.

Mr Bentley placed Dureau, without conviction, on a corrections order for 12 months.