A truck driver in Canberra has been fined $3000 after the truck he was driving slammed into the tunnel ceiling causing damage worth a million dollars.
49-year-old Stephen Tietze was driving through the Acton Tunnel in ACT on 20th October last year when his truck, slammed through the ceiling for more than 50 metres, damaging it.
As a result, the tunnel had to be shut for days which caused major traffic problems.
The cost of fully repairing the tunnel was estimated at $1.2 million, which included closing the road and replacing damaged tiles, the ABC reported.
The truck driver admitted in the court that he failed to comply with dimension requirements for driving the truck.
He told the court that earlier on the same day, he had safely passed through the eastbound side of the tunnel so later while returning, he assumed that his truck could safely pass through the westbound tunnel too.
But he felt that his truck had hit the roof and he stopped the vehicle as soon as possible. He called triple 0 and the police observed that he was polite and cooperative at all times during questioning.
The ACT Magistrates Court has handed a $3,000 fine to the driver which he is expected to pay within 18 months.
Magistrate Beth Campbell noted the financial burden a heavy fine would place and the ‘embarrassment’ it may have caused to his reputation within the industry.
She said the crash was a "significant matter" as it had caused serious inconvenience to the public.
During the trial Tietze’s employer continued employing him to which the Magistrate Campbell noted that they "must think well of you".
