Truck driver Ian Wishart faces court over Old Junee train derailment

Truck driver Ian Richard Wishart, 55, appeared in court charged with several offences relating to the derailment in March.

Emergency services were called to Canola Way and Turners Lane at Old Junee about 8.45am on March 8, following reports of a freight train and truck had collided, causing the train to derail.

At the time it was reported three locomotives derailed and were on their sides, while 10 carriages were also damaged.

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The truck was also damaged in the collision.

The derailment also forced freight company Southern Shorthaul Railroad to fork out more than $10 million.

Following the incident, Wishart was charged with causing obstruction to a railway locomotive or rolling stock, endangering the safety of a person on a railway and failing to stop at a stop line/sign at a level crossing.

Documents tendered to the court reveal the train had four locomotive engines and 53 empty carriages and allege Wishart "without lawful excuse fail[ed] to stop at the Old Junee Railway Crossing upon Canola Way" between 8.40am and 8.50am on March 8.

"Given the seriousness [of the charges] I can only recommend that you receive legal advice," Magistrate Rebecca Hosking told Wishart in the Junee Local Court on Friday.

While Wishart acknowledged Magistrate Hosking's recommendation, he said it wouldn't change the circumstances of the case.

"At end of day, I failed as a driver, there is no way out [of that]," he said.

The court heard the matter could be elevated to the district court and given the nature of the charges it has been referred to the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Magistrate Hosking said police would provide a brief of evidence to the DPP before the matter returned to court and adjourned the matter to January 17.

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