Lan Louise Kang avoids jail for fatal Kingston crash that killed her sister

A respected Mount Gambier Hospital nurse has avoided jail, after she drove ‘blind’ in thick fog at 110km/h causing a crash that claimed her sister’s life.

A Millicent woman who was behind the wheel of a car when it flew through a T-junction at 110km/h before crashing and killing her sister has avoided jail.

Lan Louise Kang, 55, has been forced to live with returning nightmares of the horror crash that claimed the life of her sister, the court heard.

Appearing from the Mount Gambier District Court Kang was handed a suspended prison sentence by Judge Gordon Barrett who was presiding from the Adelaide District Court on Friday.

During the trial the Mount Gambier District Court heard Kang effectively drove “blind” in thick fog for roughly 21 seconds at 110km/h before the fatal July 10, 2021 crash.

Since the crash, Kang has refused to drive in foggy conditions, the court heard.

As Judge Barrett reiterated the events that led up to the crash, Kang was seen openly crying in the dock.

Judge Barrett said it was clear Kang had been deeply affected and did not need to be “deterred” from bad driving.

Lan Louise Kang killed her sister after a horror, crash in Kingston has avoided jail. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Kang’s lawyer, Martin Anders, previously told the court his client had endured unbelievable hardship.

Born in Vietnam, Kang “wandered” away and was separated from her parents when she was five, the court heard.

The court was told Kang has never seen her biological parents again and spent a year at an orphanage during the Vietnam War before she was adopted and moved to Australia.

Mr Anders said while at the orphanage, Kang lived on a diet of only rice and slept on a wooden bed.

Since the 2021 crash, Kang’s husband and adoptive father had both passed away.

Kang was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving but found guilty on the lesser charge of aggravated driving without due care.

Kang had previously tried to strike a plea bargain with prosecutors before the trial for the lesser charge, but it was rejected.

Mr Anders argued that Kang is a well respected nurse and had been working at the Mount Gambier Hospital for more than a decade.

He said Kang, who lives in Millicent with her daughter, is considering moving to Mount Gambier to be closer to work in anticipation of the licence disqualification.

Prosecutor Ben Strumn said the DPP was not seeking a jail term but called for Kang to be handed a suspended sentence.

Kang was handed a one month and 22 day suspended prison sentence and a two-year good behaviour bond of $1,000.

She has been disqualified from driving for six months.

Kang was supported by nearly a dozen family members in court.

Supporters were seen crying after learning Kang would not be sent to jail — they did not wish to comment outside of court.