Arabic version: إلزام سائق شاحنة في كاثرين بخدمة مجتمعية بسبب حادث قطار

According to ABC News, Katherine truck driver Christopher Berto has been sentenced to a two-week intensive community corrections order, including 150 hours of community service, over a 2023 collision that derailed a train and injured two drivers.

Berto, 37, pleaded guilty in the Darwin Local Court last month to two counts of careless driving causing serious harm. The crash occurred at a railway crossing in the Katherine suburb of Cossack on June 14, 2023.

The court heard Berto was driving a prime mover carrying 22 tonnes of gravel when it collided with the train, derailing several carriages. Judge Steven Ledek said Berto did not notice flashing lights, gongs and the train horn warning that a train was approaching before he tried to brake 100 metres from the crossing.

Unable to stop, Berto accelerated through the crossing, broke through lowered boom gates and struck the train, the court heard. Judge Ledek described the impact as “catastrophic” and said the damage was “carnage”. One injured driver required wrist surgery, while the other had ongoing back pain and was forced to leave his job as a train driver.

Judge Ledek said Berto had visited the crossing seven times that morning and there was “no good reason” to miss the alarms and signs. Although the judge said the seriousness of the crash warranted custody, he cited Berto’s good character and low likelihood of reoffending in allowing the sentence to be served in the community. Berto, who was not speeding and had a spotless driving record, apologised to the victims and accepted responsibility.