A METER reader who lost control of his work ute, swerved onto the wrong side of a highway and killed two people at Tea Gardens has pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent driving causing death in court.
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Shane Colin Ambrosoli, 59, left home the morning of March 24, 2022 and headed to a number of properties across Krambach, Dyers Crossing, Tuncurry and Forster as part of his role with Mid Coast Council.
He was on his way to a job at Hawks Nest along the Pacific Highway when he lost control of the car, crossed the median strip and caused the crash that claimed two lives.
"I was coming around a corner and up further from that corner, the back end of the car started sliding out," Ambrosoli said in a police interview.
"I don't know why. And I tried to control it.
"I tried everything to control it and the car went into the middle and I tried to stop it and it wouldn't, it kept going and, and that's when I went over the other side of the road."
Ambrosoli careened into a motorbike, which collided with the driver's side door of a nearby van before the rider was thrown into the air, landed on the road and died immediately.
The woman driving the van was trapped and died at the scene a short time later, after the impact with the motorbike rider forced her vehicle to roll into the safety barrier.
A passenger, who was strapped into a wheelchair at the time, escaped with minor injuries.
It was raining heavily and several witnesses who were travelling along the highway at the time commented on the amount of water on the road.
Ambrosoli told police the rain was "torrential".
"The weather was awful and it was very hard to see and there was a lot of wash coming up from the road," he said.
"That's probably the most severe I've driven in."
Ambrosoli was going 104kmh in a 110kmh zone at the time of the crash, which took place about 1.34pm in a rural area of Tea Gardens between North Arm Cove and Nerong near Viney Creek Road West.
He had driven the same car for work every day for the last 18 months, and according to court documents, the vehicle was roadworthy but a police mechanical examiner later noted a reduced tread depth on the rear tyre.
According to police facts, Ambrosoli was "aware that if he lost control of his vehicle other motorists were at risk", apparently telling officers during an interview that "there were quite a few [cars on the road] for that time of day, like, quite often I've been through there and there's no one around".
He was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and there was no evidence to suggest he was distracted before the crash.
Court documents said the reason he lost control of the vehicle was because although he was driving within the legal speed limit, his speed was "excessive" given the weather and traffic conditions at the time.
An expert consulting engineer retained by Ambrosoli said the speed "was not necessarily excessive" in normal conditions, but accompanied with the slightly reduced tread and significant increase in water depth had "led to a propensity to aquaplane".
Ambrosoli originally faced seven charges, including the more serious charge of dangerous driving occasioning death, which were withdrawn in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday.
He will face court again at Raymond Terrace next week to set a sentence date.
Angus Michie
Angus Michie is a reporter with the Dungog Chronicle. He has an interest in community and council reporting.
Angus Michie is a reporter with the Dungog Chronicle. He has an interest in community and council reporting.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
