A truck driver who ploughed into a school bus carrying Ballarat students on their way to a NASA space camp has been jailed for more than 12 years, after a judge found he knowingly drove a 62-tonne vehicle with faulty brakes and “disastrous” consequences.
Victorian truck driver Brett Michael Russell, 63, was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria for the 2022 Western Freeway crash that left 10 passengers with serious, life-altering injuries.
The bus was carrying 32 students and staff from Loreto College Ballarat to Melbourne Airport when Russell’s B-double slammed into the rear of the vehicle in the early hours of 21 September 2022 near Bacchus Marsh, sending it through a safety barrier and down an embankment.
Knew brakes were faulty — but drove anyway
The court heard Russell was hauling meat in a 62-tonne prime mover and trailer along the Western Freeway in heavy rain when he approached slowed and stationary traffic caused by overnight roadworks.
Evidence showed that earlier in his shift, Russell had noticed problems with the brakes but chose to continue driving. Investigators later found multiple defects in the vehicle’s braking system, and prosecutors argued that Russell knew his truck was not operating safely yet stayed on the road.
Instead of braking in time as he approached the line of vehicles, Russell attempted to steer around them but failed to avoid the school bus. The impact crushed the rear of the bus, tore it off the road and sent it rolling down a steep embankment, trapping students and staff inside.
In a police interview tendered to the court, Russell admitted he was aware of braking issues but believed he would “still be right” to continue the journey.
“Catastrophic” injuries for schoolgirls and the teacher
While no one was killed, the consequences were severe. Ten passengers — mostly teenage girls — suffered serious injuries, including spinal fractures, broken bones, internal injuries and long-term nerve and soft-tissue damage. Several underwent emergency surgery and lengthy hospital stays.
Victim impact statements described lives turned upside down:
- Students spoke of chronic pain, repeated surgeries and the loss of sporting dreams and everyday independence.
- Others detailed ongoing nightmares, anxiety and fear of travel, particularly on buses and freeways.
- A teacher on board has been left with lasting injuries and psychological trauma.
Parents told the court they still relive the moment their children were pulled from the wreckage, describing the crash as “every family’s worst nightmare” and saying the planned NASA trip had become a lifelong source of trauma rather than a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Guilty plea and lengthy jail term
Russell earlier pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including 10 counts of negligently causing serious injury and further offences related to the risk posed to others on the road.
In sentencing, Judge Michael O’Connell said Russell’s decision to keep driving a heavily loaded truck with known brake issues represented a serious and avoidable breach of his duties as a professional driver, and that the risk to other road users was obvious.
The judge acknowledged Russell’s guilty plea, remorse and previous good character, but said those factors could not outweigh the gravity of his negligence and the “catastrophic impact” on the children and staff aboard the bus.
Russell was sentenced to a total jail term of more than 12 years, with a lengthy non-parole period to be served before he can apply for release. (The precise structure of the sentence was not detailed in the press release summary provided, but court reporting indicates a head sentence of around 12 years with a substantial minimum term.)
He is also expected to face immigration consequences once his sentence is completed, with reports suggesting he may be deported from Australia.
A crash that shocked Victoria
The Western Freeway crash shocked communities in Ballarat and across Victoria, with images of the destroyed school bus and emergency crews working through the night prompting renewed calls for better heavy-vehicle safety and enforcement.
In the weeks after the collision, questions were raised about:
- the condition and maintenance of the truck’s braking system
- fatigue and pressures on long-haul drivers
- how roadworks and reduced-speed zones were managed on busy freight corridors
Investigations by police and safety regulators found significant mechanical defects in the truck’s brakes and highlighted the need for operators and drivers to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before they leave the depot — and to stop driving immediately if faults emerge.
School community still recovering
Loreto College Ballarat has previously said the long-term recovery of students and staff will take years, not months. The school community has rallied around those injured, providing counselling and academic support as they adapt to changed physical and mental health.
While the Ballarat students have slowly returned to classrooms and, in some cases, to modified sporting and social activities, families told the court the crash will “cast a shadow over their lives forever” — a reminder that, although there were no fatalities, the impact has been profound and enduring.
For those families, Russell’s sentence brings some measure of accountability, but not closure.
As one parent said outside court,
“Our daughters survived, but they will never be the same.”
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