Police mark out the skids left on the road.
A man, 23, died when his delivery truck hit a tree near Holbrook yesterday. Pictures: TARA GOONAN
A MECHANICAL inspection will be completed on a delivery truck after its male driver, 23, died when the vehicle hit a tree near Holbrook yesterday.
The Wangaratta man died at the scene of the crash on Jingellic Road, about 10 kilometres east of Holbrook.
Insp David Cottee, of Albury police, said a witness had reported seeing the truck “swerving a bit” before the smash, at 9.20am.
“A witness said something else might have come in to play,” he said.
Insp Cottee said the blood alcohol reading will also be taken as part of a post mortem on the driver.
“I’m not suggesting he was a drink-driver, it’s just a matter of course,” Insp Cottee said.
The refrigerated truck was travelling west on the Jingellic Road, headed towards the Hume Highway, when it left the road about 50 metres beyond a slight bend.
The truck’s tyre marks could be seen in the dirt on the side of the road.
Further tyre marks cross to the other side.
The small truck hit the tree on the driver’s side door, forcing the collapse of the front cabin, along with the styrofoam walls of the refrigerated compartment.
Loose gravel and pot holes extend the length of Jingellic Road, which was the subject of a $3.3 million upgrade in 2004.
But Holbrook SES unit controller Lyndy Philpot said the road was not the problem.
“The road in that section is in good repair,” she said.
Five SES volunteers worked at the crash scene for seven hours.