Post by Cullyn Of Cerrmor on Jan 1, 2009 10:08:55 GMT 9.5
P-plater blames death on contact lens, not street race
Geesche Jacobsen and Georgina Robinson | January 1, 2009
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/ffximage/300minhtoufic,0.jpg
Braked ... Minh Quang Nguyen (left) and Toufic El Zahab, who was killed.
HE HAS a history of speeding, failing to display his P plates and driving while disqualified.
But, Minh Quang Nguyen insists, when he veered off the Hume Highway into oncoming traffic last October killing a 50-year-old father of four, the problem was that his contact lens popped out when he had to brake heavily after another car cut him off. He certainly was not involved in a street race with a motorcycle when he lost control of his car, he told police.
A Wiley Park upholsterer, Toufic El Zahab, had been driving home on the stretch of road at Warwick Farm when Nguyen's Honda convertible smashed into the driver's side of his Toyota van about 7.45pm on October 14.
Mr El Zahab died after being trapped in the wreckage of the van for three hours, while his passenger, a 17-year-old girl, escaped with minor leg injuries.
Nguyen, 24, was also seriously injured and had emergency surgery to his vertebrae and stomach in Liverpool hospital.
He was released, apparently without the knowledge of police, two weeks later, but arrested in Fairfield only on Tuesday in a routine check on his car.
His lawyer, Philip Stewart, told Central Local Court today Nguyen did not try to flee from police and kept living at the address on his driver's licence. His licence was not suspended by police after the accident.
Nguyen, who was convicted of dangerous driving in September 2004, has a long history of traffic offences. He has, according to documents tendered in court yesterday, also served time in prison for drug supply, assaulting a police officer and possessing goods, believed to be stolen.
He was charged with dangerous driving causing death, but denied the charge. Mr Stewart told the court Nguyen intended to plead not guilty. Nguyen also rejected witness accounts that he was driving next to a motorcycle and that both were driving at well over the 70 kmh speed limit over the Railway Street overpass when he lost control while descending.
Nguyen was granted bail yesterday on strict conditions, including he not drive a car, report to police three times a week and deposit $2000 surety. He was ordered to reappear in Liverpool Local court on February 25.
Geesche Jacobsen and Georgina Robinson | January 1, 2009
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/ffximage/300minhtoufic,0.jpg
Braked ... Minh Quang Nguyen (left) and Toufic El Zahab, who was killed.
HE HAS a history of speeding, failing to display his P plates and driving while disqualified.
But, Minh Quang Nguyen insists, when he veered off the Hume Highway into oncoming traffic last October killing a 50-year-old father of four, the problem was that his contact lens popped out when he had to brake heavily after another car cut him off. He certainly was not involved in a street race with a motorcycle when he lost control of his car, he told police.
A Wiley Park upholsterer, Toufic El Zahab, had been driving home on the stretch of road at Warwick Farm when Nguyen's Honda convertible smashed into the driver's side of his Toyota van about 7.45pm on October 14.
Mr El Zahab died after being trapped in the wreckage of the van for three hours, while his passenger, a 17-year-old girl, escaped with minor leg injuries.
Nguyen, 24, was also seriously injured and had emergency surgery to his vertebrae and stomach in Liverpool hospital.
He was released, apparently without the knowledge of police, two weeks later, but arrested in Fairfield only on Tuesday in a routine check on his car.
His lawyer, Philip Stewart, told Central Local Court today Nguyen did not try to flee from police and kept living at the address on his driver's licence. His licence was not suspended by police after the accident.
Nguyen, who was convicted of dangerous driving in September 2004, has a long history of traffic offences. He has, according to documents tendered in court yesterday, also served time in prison for drug supply, assaulting a police officer and possessing goods, believed to be stolen.
He was charged with dangerous driving causing death, but denied the charge. Mr Stewart told the court Nguyen intended to plead not guilty. Nguyen also rejected witness accounts that he was driving next to a motorcycle and that both were driving at well over the 70 kmh speed limit over the Railway Street overpass when he lost control while descending.
Nguyen was granted bail yesterday on strict conditions, including he not drive a car, report to police three times a week and deposit $2000 surety. He was ordered to reappear in Liverpool Local court on February 25.