A truck driver from north central Victoria has pleaded guilty to 17 offences, including charges arising from a crash in which a toddler died and three members of the same family were seriously injured last year.
Matthew Livingston, 43, faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link on Friday morning, charged with culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury, among other offences.
Police allege the truck Mr Livingston was driving hit several cars on the freeway, near the Diggers Rest-Bulla Road overpass north-west of Melbourne, on December 6, 2021.
In one of the cars that was struck, a young child died and three members of the same family in that vehicle were seriously injured.
Mr Livingston also pleaded guilty to several other offences related to him not complying with heavy vehicle regulations in the week leading up to the incident.
The court heard another 73 charges against Mr Livingston were to be withdrawn.
Mr Livingston, who lives in Donald three hours north-west of Melbourne, will remain on bail until his plea hearing in the County Court of Victoria on December 7, a year and one day after the incident.
As part of his bail conditions he cannot leave Victoria without police approval, cannot leave Australia, cannot drive heavy motor vehicles or contact witnesses for the prosecution.
Mr Livingston's lawyer, Steven Pica, told the court the plea hearing would likely take a full day of the court's time, because "there are a lot of victim impact statements" to be read out.
