Driver jailed for two years after deadly crash death

A truck driver who killed an off-duty firefighter in a deadly crash in 2015 was jailed for at least two years on Friday.

Albert Cvetkovski, 44, was found guilty in August of dangerous driving resulting in the death of Drew Cullen, a firefighter and father, on Heathcote Road in Sydney’s south.

Mr Cvetkovski was found to have been withdrawing from methamphetamine when he crashed into Mr Cullen, but blamed the accident on a pothole, 9 News reports.

Albert Cvetkovski, 44, was found guilty in August of dangerous driving resulting in death and was sentenced to two year in jail

Drew Cullen (pictured), a firefighter and father, was killed in 2015 after Mr Cvetkovski's 10-tonne truck collided with his vehicle in Sydney's south

Drew Cullen (pictured), a firefighter and father, was killed in 2015 after Mr Cvetkovski’s 10-tonne truck collided with his vehicle in Sydney’s south

Drug and alcohol tests found Mr Cvetkovski had a low level of the drug in his system, but Judge Penelope Hock placed little emphasis on that fact during sentencing.

She said that the tests were ‘not able to say the offender was driving with any impairment…only that it was possible’. 

Mr Cullen died almost instantly when the 10-tonne truck veered into his path, as he was travelling home to his partner Susie Smith and their  16-month-old daughter Talia, now three.

Mr Cullen died almost instantly when the 10-tonne truck veered into his path on Heathcote Road

Mr Cullen died almost instantly when the 10-tonne truck veered into his path on Heathcote Road

The off-duty firefighter was travelling home to his partner Susie Smith and their 16-month-old daughter Talia (pictured together), now three

The off-duty firefighter was travelling home to his partner Susie Smith and their 16-month-old daughter Talia (pictured together), now three

Mr Cullen's partner, Susie Smith, said his death was 'not an accident' after tests found methamphetamine in Mr Cvetkovski's system

Mr Cullen’s partner, Susie Smith, said his death was ‘not an accident’ after tests found methamphetamine in Mr Cvetkovski’s system

Ms Smith, a high school teacher, told the court her partner’s death was ‘not an accident’.

‘As a high school teacher I’m trying to teach my kids that drugs have impacts whether you’re on them or coming down off them, and this was a missed opportunity,’ Ms Smith said.

‘This was not an accident, we’re all human, we all make mistakes, but we don’t all drive around with drugs in our system.’

Mr Cvetkovski will be eligible for parole in 2020.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk