Fifty-seven-year-old Michael Simpson appeared in Armidale Local Court for the committal hearing, where Magistrate Karen Stafford directed him to stand trial for dangerous driving occasioning death – drive in a manner of dangerous.

He is also facing a second charge of negligent driving occasioning death. Simpson sat in the front row of the court for the committal, flanked by his wife and solicitor Darren Bracken.

The Victorian man was driving the B-double milk tanker for McColl’s between Grafton and Glen Innes on February 10 in the westbound lane when the vehicle collided with a CountryLink coach travelling in the opposite lane.

Inverell coach driver Neil Harmon, 63, died at the scene while eight adults and two children were also injured.

The crash occurred around 3.30 in the afternoon about 100km east of Glen Innes on the Gwydir Highway, on the Gibralter Range.

The crash closed the Highway in both directions until the following day to allow officers from the Tamworth-based Oxley Crash Investigation Unit and forensic crews examine the scene.

Simpson was subsequently arrested in March last year and charged with the two offences.

Around 15 friends and family of Mr Harmon and passengers were present for the court hearing.

Three witnesses were called to give evidence for the committal hearing including two crash investigators.

Truck driver Steven Paslow was the first to take the witness box after he was called by the defence because he had admitted to slipping on the same stretch of the Highway in wet conditions.

He told the court he had driven across the Gibralter Range on numerous occasions throughout his 15-year heavy vehicle career.

Ms Paslo told the court he was following the road on the day of the accident, driving a B-double prime mover for Kyogle Grain.

“The road was damp,” Mr Paslo told the court.

“It had a shower of rain which caused it to be damp.”

“The night that it happened there was a storm coming through.”

Mr Paslow detailed his experience in passing the corner where the crash occurred.

“I have slipped,” he said.

Mr Paslow said he couldn’t say how many times but he uses his experience when driving B-doubles at that corner.

Magistrate Stafford thanked Mr Paslow for stopping to assist at the accident last year before he left the stand.

The next witness called to take the stand was Senior Constable Gretal Robertson who told the court she was part of the Northern Tablelands Crash Investigation Unit.

Senior Constable Robertson said she was called to the scene as a crash investigation officer and spent a number of hours at the crash.

“My role was to assess the scene, assess the physical evidence at the scene,” Senior Constable Robertson told the court.

Senior Constable Robertson was questioned on the numerous markings on the road with yellow paint which she had made as part of her investigation.

She was cross examined by defence who questioned how she could distinguish the tyre marks of the truck on the night, hours after the crash occurred.

She was shown a number of photos and asked to detail where the specific truck tyre and scrape marks were.

The court was told it was foggy, misty and rainy conditions following the accident into the night.

Senior Constable Brett Sansom was the third and final witness to be called.

Magistrate Stafford heard short submissions from the defence and Crown before issuing the order for Simpson to stand trial on the dangerous driving occasioning death charge. 

The matter has been listed for a call over in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court in September where a trial date will be set.