TWO men have faced court after a frightening incident on the Hume Freeway involving a truck and car.
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Stuart John Annison was forced to slam on the brakes of his prime mover, which was carrying 62 tonnes of paper, near Barnawartha on September 5 last year.
The 50-year-old had been travelling north at 100km/h when a Ford Fairmont overtook his vehicle and slammed on its brakes about 3.55pm.
It caused Annison to swerve into the right lane.
The Ford then drove in the middle of the two lanes and again braked heavily, causing the truck driver to brake.
About two minutes later, the truck driver again approached the Ford which was travelling at slow speed in the right lane and nudged the rear, causing it to swerve.
The driver of the car, Gary Richard Robertson, exited the freeway and reported the incident to Wodonga police.
Robertson appeared to be unaware that the truck was fitted with a dashcam, and was himself charged with serious driving offences.
Annison admitted to his role in the ordeal in the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The truck driver's lawyer said Robertson's actions were "simply reprehensible".
"It is quite shocking, the actions of the other driver," he said.
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The court heard Annison had been trucking for 31 years, and conceded that his actions in hitting the car were careless.
Annison was ordered to donate $500 to a safe driving program by magistrate Ian Watkins, who noted he had no driving offences on his record.
"At the end of the day there was probably a better way to handle this," the magistrate said.
"It's lucky the collision wasn't more serious."
Robertson will return to court on April 17.
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