The truck driver charged after Herald Sun sports writer Sam Landsberger was killed crossing a street will plead guilty to a charge of failing to provide a blood sample, his lawyer has told a court.
James Latchford, 45, was charged by police after the award-winning AFL and cricket reporter was struck by a truck at the intersection of Bridge Rd and Church St in Richmond on August 20 last year.
At the time, Victoria Police said Mr Latchford had passed both drug and alcohol roadside tests but failed to comply with a direction to provide a blood sample.
Previously, a court was told Mr Latchford told officers he didn’t like needles.
He had his licence reinstated at a hearing in October that was told Mr Latchford was driving slowly and safely through the intersection when Mr Landsberger was fatally injured.
Mr Latchford returned to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning via videolink from his home as defence lawyer Michael Pena-Rees said a legal issue had been resolved and they would seek the case to proceed with a guilty plea.
But after listening to part of the police summary, magistrate Timothy Bourke stopped the hearing, saying that a person had died and the court should “show respect” by having Mr Latchford appear in person.
Mr Penna-Rees confirmed his client could attend court at some point on Friday and the case was stood down.
Hundreds of mourners from the sporting and media world joined Mr Landsberger’s family at a funeral service at the Temple Beth Israel synagogue days later on August 26.
His parents, Jake and Anne, remembered their youngest child and only son as a “caring and wonderful” person who would be deeply missed.