A TAMWORTH man is set to stand trial for a crash that killed his wife and son near Walcha last year.
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The Crown claims Stephen George Russell was driving in a dangerous manner before the crash on the Oxley Highway on January 3, 2019.
Lynette Marie Russell, 72, who was in the front seat, and 38-year-old Stephen Leslie Russell, who was in the back seat, died at the scene as a result of their injuries.
Another passenger in the backseat was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital.
Russell has denied the charges against him and was committed to stand trial in Tamworth District Court.
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At a mention of the case this week, the court heard he will face four charges at trial including two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death; dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm; and doing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice.
The case is slated to be heard as a jury trial in August, and is expected to run for up to seven days.
This week Judge Deborah Payne was told the trial could be delayed while an expert report is prepared and served on the defence and Crown.
But it might not be heard this year now. Currently, all jury trials are suspended in NSW, bar some matters in three major court precincts.
Newcastle, Sydney and Parramatta District Courts have resumed trials as of last month, with jurors positioned around the courtroom and subject to regular temperature checks, as part of the suite of measures.
There is no date for when jury trials will resume in Tamworth, and several cases have already been adjourned for new trial dates.
Russell's case will return to the same court for mention in August. He remains on condition bail ahead of trial.
If found guilty of the charge of dangerous driving occasioning death, Russell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.
Russell, then 58, was allegedly driving a Toyota Prado towing a caravan when it struck a railing, rolled and slammed into a tree.
His wife and son died at the scene.
A 38-year-old woman, who was trapped in the wreckage of the crash for some time, suffered head and spinal injuries. She was also airlifted to Tamworth hospital.
Specialist crash investigators spent hours examining the scene, the Toyota Prado and the caravan.
After extensive investigations, Russell was charged by the Oxley Crash Investigation Unit in June last year and had his driver's licence suspended.
At the time, police said one dog died in the incident and another survived.
It's understood the family had set off from Tamworth and were headed east along the Oxley Highway.