<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Details from a "tragic" crash where a sports journalist died have been aired in court as the driver of the truck he walked into pleaded guilty to refusing to do a blood test.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A doctor yelled at Herald Sun reporter Sam Landsberger to "stop" walking as a heavy truck was moving through a Richmond intersection on August 20, 2024, a court was told today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was on the phone when he walked into the wheels of the truck as it turned on a green arrow at the intersection of Bridge Road and Church Street, Melbourne Magistrates Court was told.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/courtney-morleyclarke-murder-australias-youngest-murderer-to-walk-from-prison/90209618-125d-4adb-bf76-c887cfd71e2d" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australia's youngest murderer out of prison</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The truck driver, James Latchford, stopped to help Landsberger, who was seriously injured and died in hospital.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Latchford was interviewed by officers and had a breath test and an oral fluid one, with both returning negative results for drugs or alcohol.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But when police asked him to do a blood test at Richmond police station, Latchford refused and said: "I just don't like needles mate".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-courts-driver-fined-for-refusing-test-after-herald-sun-reporter-sam-landsberger-death/cc6adab1-c731-44e4-8883-53d9dee0d3cc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is the first time that anything of this nature has ever happened to anybody," Latchford's defence lawyer Michael Pena-Rees told the court today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a very unusual and tragic event."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Pena-Rees said his client, who today pleaded guilty to refusing to give a blood sample to police, was shocked over the tragic incident at the time he was asked to take the test.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He's refused to give a blood test in circumstances that are ... difficult, tragic and impacted everyone that was involved that day," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Yes it was a very tragic, serious matter, but Mr Latchford is not responsible. It is tragic and we all want someone to blame."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-phone-call-european-leaders-ukraine-peacekeeping-troops-keir-starmer/cd77dc57-e0cd-478a-8473-82b99bdcdea5" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>PM to join 'coalition of the willing' call on Ukraine peacekeeping</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Latchford, 46, has driven trucks for 14 years and his lawyer said the mandatory two-year licence suspension he was facing would impact him financially because he could no longer do his job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He asked for Latchford to be fined rather than placed on a community corrections order.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But police prosecutor Senior Constable Keryn Bell said the fact Latchford refused to have the blood test, in circumstances where a pedestrian had been killed, made the matter more serious.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is the most serious example of a refuse charge," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's not a run-of-the-mill, routine test where he refuses to give blood."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Landsberger's family watched on via video link as Latchford, who was told to come to the hearing in person, was sentenced by Magistrate Stephen Ballek.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All the circumstances involved in this incident were more serious than a typical interception and consequent breath testing or blood testing situation," the magistrate said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There was clearly an accident which had occurred which you did know at the time caused at least serious injury to a pedestrian.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/former-woolworths-ceo-brad-banducci-lands-new-role-at-ticketek-parent-company-teg/cfcbf30a-6100-426a-86ed-dc56bd2cfe5b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Former Woolworths chief executive lands new role at ticketing company</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"On the other hand I take into account that your actions at the time were not to be criticised, no doubt you would've been in some shock at the time as to what had occurred."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ballek handed Latchford a $1500 fine with conviction, which he said was higher than he would normally impose for such an offence due to the "serious context" around it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He suspended Latchford's drivers licence for six months longer than the mandatory period, for 30 months, because of a prior relevant traffic infringement notice in 2014 for drink driving.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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