A truck driver involved in a serious school bus crash involving 45 children west of Melbourne yesterday has been granted bail.
It's alleged Gleeson was behind the wheel of a truck that collided with a school bus carrying 45 students from Exford Primary School.
Prosecutor Ben Kerlin said the bus driver had noticed the truck approaching quickly from behind before it was struck about 3.40pm.
Gleeson, a truck driver for 18 years, told police he would normally "take it easy" in school zones and was accelerating out of the 60km/h zone outside Exford Primary School when he noticed flashes of sunlight coming through the trees.
He said he hit the brakes after seeing the brake lights on the bus in front of him, but he didn't have enough time to stop before hitting the back.
"If I could have swerved around it I would have," he told officers during his interview with police on Wednesday morning.
His lawyer said this was Gleeson's first time in custody and he had no prior driving or other criminal matters.
Magistrate Andrew McKenna agreed to grant bail for Gleeson, noting there would be a delay in bringing the case to court.
Prosecutors have asked for 16 weeks to prepare the brief of evidence against him, given the size of the collision scene and the number of children who will need to be interviewed.
McKenna said Gleeson had co-operated with police at the scene.
The father-of-two's bail conditions include that he not drive a heavy vehicle.
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Cruse said the investigation was continuing into the crash.
He said "speed would be considered" as part of the investigation.
"It's sort of unimaginable. The children were in their classrooms and just a short time later were seriously injured so close to school," Cruse said.
Seven children remain in serious conditions at the Royal Children's Hospital with "life-changing" injuries.
Royal Children's Hospital chief executive officer Bernadette McDonald said the children had suffered multiple and traumatic injuries, including partial and complete amputations of arms, multiple crushed limb injuries, severe lacerations to the head and body, and head injuries.
The bus driver, a 52-year-old Melton West man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The charges against Gleeson specifically relate to four children - two each aged nine and 10.
Wearing an orange and blue hi-vis shirt, Gleeson sat with his hands crossed in his lap while appearing by video-link from Sunshine.
Eynesbury is about 44km from Melbourne, near Melton, and the crash occurred near Exford Primary School.
Exford Primary School is a coeducational school for years prep to six with 279 students enrolled.
Gleeson is due back in court for a committal mention on October 18.
- Reported with AAP
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2023-05-17 10:56:09Z
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