LAWYERS have delivered closing addresses in the trial of a man accused of "unbelievably" overloading his caravan and causing a crash which tragically killed his wife and stepson.
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Stephen George Russell has denied two charges of dangerous driving causing death and one of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, as well as one allegation of intending to pervert the course of justice.
Crown prosecutor Matt Coates told the court the maximum weight of the caravan had been blown out by more than 800kg when Russell packed it full of possessions to move family from Tamworth to the coast.
The Crown case is that Russell was behind the wheel of a Toyota Prado - with the caravan in tow - when he tried to slow down on a slope on the Oxley Highway near Walcha on the afternoon of January 3, 2019.
The caravan swayed and the four-wheel-drive slammed into a tree.
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Mr Coates reminded the jury in Tamworth District Court on Wednesday that expert evidence called in the prosecution case said the sway of the caravan had "absolutely" been caused by its heavy weight.
"The Crown case is the accused was driving in a manner dangerous by towing a grossly overloaded caravan," he told the court.
Mr Coates said in his address witnesses had described seeing the debris - including a barbecue, generator and freezer - and how even the shower cubicle in the caravan had been stuffed with possessions.
He submitted that Russell - who drove trucks for more than four decades - could not have the honest or reasonable belief that the caravan was safe to drive.
Defence barrister Bruce Donnelly told the court Russell managed to drive all the way from Tamworth to Walcha with no problems.
"The defence say the impact is not in any way attributable to the manner in which the vehicle was being driven," he said.
Judge Deborah Payne will continue her summing up on Thursday - the third week of the trial - before the jury of 11 can begin deliberating.
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