A truck driver who seriously injured two students when he barrelled through an Adelaide school crossing failed to stop despite traffic lights being red for nearly 10 seconds, it was revealed in court.
The 16-year-old victims suffered life-changing injuries and neither remember the devastating incident on Kensington Road outside Marryatville High in March last year.
Amity Nield suffered multiple fractures, while Isaac Jones endured a traumatic brain injury that has paused his dream of pursuing marine biology.
The delivery driver, Sang Van Huynh, pleaded guilty to the charges and offered a brief apology outside the District Court.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he left court.
The court heard that in the seconds before the crash Huynh switched lanes to avoid cars stopped in front of him, cutting in front of a bus before he barrelled through the crossing.
The 57-year-old had no drugs or alcohol in his system, and wasn’t speeding or on his phone, with the judge told the incident was a case of gross carelessness and inattention.
Huynh is seeking to avoid imprisonment and has requested a suspended sentence.
But the victims’ families have questioned why the driver would not face jail time for such a reckless act.
The court is expected to deliver its verdict next month.
