Alleged killer driver Lan Louise Kang faces trial after plea deal struck down

A South-East mother is staring down the barrel of a possible 15-year jail sentence if convicted of the death of her adoptive sister, who died in a horror crash in 2021.

After failing to secure a plea bargain, a South-East woman is standing trial for the death of her adoptive sister following a horror crash.

Lan Louise Kang, 54, was travelling at roughly 110km/h in a 60 zone in the Kingston township when her car left the road and crashed into Maria Creek on July 10, 2021.

Though Ms Kang pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of driving without due care, prosecutors proceeded to trial on one count of causing death by dangerous driving.

Under SA law, the only charge to which causing death by dangerous driving can be downgraded is an aggravated count of driving without due care.

Instead of facing a maximum 15-year prison term and mandatory minimum 10-year licence disqualification, offenders face 12 months’ jail and a six-month disqualification.

Lan Louise Kang is on trial for causing death by dangerous driving after her adoptive sister died in a horror crash in Kingston. Picture: Arj Ganesan

During his opening address prosecutor Michael Foundas said Ms Kang had either failed to notice the posted safety signs or did not slow down enough to compensate for the morning’s heavy fog.

Mr Foundas said Ms Kang was travelling at highway speed when she “went straight through a T-junction intersection at the township of Kingston”

“She went onto the grass verge over an embankment — became airborne and collided with an embankment on the other side of Maria Creek,” he said.

Mr Foundas said though there will be evidence she attempted to slow her vehicle — Ms Kang had maintained her speed “right up to that last moment”.

Police at the scene of a serious single-vehicle accident at Kingston S.E. The car left the road at the intersection of Princess Highway and Southern Ports Highway, crashing into Maria Creek. Picture: Harvey Biggs/ Nine News Adelaide

Ms Kang’s daughter Kayla Kang was sitting in the front passenger seat with Karuna Buttle seated in the back.

Ms Buttle was rendered unconscious upon impact, sustaining multiple fractures before being declared dead at the scene, the court heard.

During his opening address Ms Kang’s defence lawyer Martin Anders told the court his client had been focused on the road while driving through the heavy intermittent fog, which had obscured the 80 and 60 km/h signs.

Mr Anders added the defendant had no knowledge that she was exceeding the speed limit or that there was an approaching T-junction, the court heard.

Ms Kang’s daughter Kayla is expected to give testimony on Wednesday.

The trial before Judge Gordon Barrett continues in absence of a jury.