A 22-year-old Canberra truck driver has been ordered to stand trial over the death of Mogilla man Bruce Douch in the early hours of June 19 last year.
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Police allege Burger Paulus Bezuidenhout was driving east through Morans Crossing, west of Bega, when his white Isuzu Pantech truck hit Mr Douch at 6.40am as he was walking on the bitumen edging of the Snowy Mountains Hwy about to start work with his employer Platinum Traffic Services on the Bemboka Bridge upgrade project.
Documents tendered to Bega Local Court on Tuesday state allege Bezuidenhout's truck crossed the northern curb alignment, striking Mr Douch before crossing both highway lanes and coming to rest in a dirt embankment.
Police found Mr Douch's body 35 metres from the point of impact and his beanie was later located in the front grill of the truck.
Bezuidenhout rendered assistance at the scene before allegedly telling a witness Mr Douch had been walking on the road at the time of impact.
"I swerved to try and avoid him," he is alleged to have told the witness before being taken to Bega Hospital suffering from shock.
Police documents claim Bezuidenhout later attended Queanbeyan Police Station on July 23 where he also stated the victim was in front of him and there was "nothing he could do".
After being shown forensic evidence the documents state Bezuidenhout said it was not how he remembered the events.
Forensic police later conducted a video drive through of the site which they claim showed Mr Douch's reflective high-vis vest would have been visible.
According to police, drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the incident and no mechanical faults were found in Bezuidenhout's truck.
Bezuidenhout was charged on November 9 last year with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death, has pleaded not guilty and remains on bail ahead of his trial date.
Mr Douch's friend Jodie Forth said the 44-year-old was known to his mates as "Douchie", was a "carefree and happy spirit" and enjoyed the peace and quiet of his new home on a Mogilla property.
Prior to his work with Platinum Traffic Services Mr Douch had himself been a truck driver with freight and logistics provider Star Track.
Bezuidenhout will now face the NSW District Court in Sydney on Wednesday, August 24.
