Wodonga man Edward Charles Robinson, 63, is facing two charges over the fatal collision which claimed the life of his 84-year-old mother, Marie.

Robinson allegedly drove in a dangerous manner before the crash at Kotupna on July 18 last year.

He has also been charged with careless driving.

The first day of a two-day committal has started in the Wodonga Magistrates Court. 

Charles Walsh was first on the scene and spoke to Robinson. 

He was driving towards Robinson’s white Holden Commodore on the Murray Valley Highway.

“It was completely on my side,” he said of the Commodore.

“I had enough time to think, what is this bloody idiot doing?”

The car quickly went back onto the correct side of the road before Mr Walsh noticed a “commotion” in the trees as the car crashed.

He spoke to Robinson and his mother at the scene.

“He said he didn’t really know what happened … he’d s--- himself and over-corrected,” Mr Walsh said.

Another witness, Matthew Clarke, described the crash scene as confronting.

Corey Fordham, who had been driving a milk tanker on the highway, noticed a “white flash” as the car veered off the road.

The vehicle hit the tree and bounced back, Mr Fordham told the court.

Volunteer firefighter Phillip Clark arrived soon after the crash and helped to treat Robinson’s mother.

Mr Clark said the driver gave him an account of what occurred.

“He was apologetic and said he over-corrected,” he said.

Mr Clark recalled Robinson said “I’m so sorry, I over-corrected” at the scene, with other witnesses telling him it was OK.

Two women in the court wiped away tears.

Sergeant Bruce Rigoni said an inspection of the scene, and speaking to the driver, showed the car had gone onto the wrong side, hit gravel, over-corrected, lost control and hit a tree.

Robinson told him he had given his mother some food, turned to speak to her and found himself on the wrong side of the road.

Five witnesses spoke during Wednesday’s committal with a further three witnesses due to give evidence on Thursday.