A trip to pick up school kids was cut short for bus driver Anthony Leonello who died at a crash scene when a police officer failed to stop his car at an intersection.
Sergeant Justone Wong was driving an unmarked police station wagon through the semi-rural suburb Llandilo in Greater Western Sydney when he crashed into the 76-year-old driver's bus on May 24, 2022.
Wong, 42, who was on duty at the time, has pleaded guilty at Penrith Local Court to dangerous driving causing Mr Leonello's death after originally pleading not guilty.
The sergeant had driven past a give-way sign at the intersection without slowing or stopping to check for nearby vehicles before the early morning crash, agreed facts of the case state.
Mr Leonello's bus was pushed towards a grass area, stopping when it hit a telegraph pole.
His body was ejected out of the driver's window of the bus onto the road and passed underneath the bus before it stopped completely.
Mr Leonello's body was found partly under the rear passenger side wheels of the bus and died at the scene from multiple blunt force injuries.
There is no evidence Mr Leonello, who was the only person on the bus at the time, was wearing his seatbelt when the incident took place.
Wong called emergency services when getting out his damaged car, expressing remorse to witnesses looking on.
As paramedics arrived, Wong pointed them to Mr Leonello's condition and said, "I think he's under the bus".
The sergeant suffered multiple abrasions and soreness through his body, and was taken by ambulance to Westmead Hospital for observations before being released.
When asked about the collision, Wong told paramedics he could not recall how the crash had happened and could not recall the speed he had driven.
An alcohol and drug test returned negative results, and mobile phone use was not considered to be a factor relevant to the accident after extensive search.
Dashcam footage showed Mr Leonello had right of way at the time of the impact.
Wong is a serving member of the NSW Police Force, which told AAP his employment remains under review.
His sentence will be handed down on June 7.
Australian Associated Press
