Driver accused of fleeing fatal crash seen ‘looked like he had seen devil’
The motorist charged with causing a horrific multi-vehicle pileup that killed a 12-year-old boy arrived home bloodied and scratched seven hours after allegedly fleeing the scene of the fatal crash by foot.
NSW
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The man accused of killing a 12-year-old boy and injuring the rest of his family when he crashed into them on Saturday will remain in jail for at least another eight weeks.
John Pagakis, 34, didn’t appear in Parramatta Local Court today where he faced 10 charges including leaving the scene of a crash, dangerous driving causing death and aggravates dangerous driving causing death.
Lawyer Peter Proctor didn’t apply for bail instead asking for an adjournment for police to prepare a brief of evidence against Pagakis.
Magistrate Peter Feather adjourned the matter to May 2.
Pagakisarrived home bloodied and scratched seven hours after allegedly fleeing the scene of the fatal crash by foot.
Police claim panicked labourer clambered out of his mangled Holden Commodore and left the scene on foot about after crashing into six stationary vehicles as he exited the M2 in Baulkham Hills about 7pm on Saturday night.
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It is understood he had been driving to meet his new girlfriend in Bossley Park.
It is not known exactly how Pagakis made his way to his family home in Narraweena, 35km away, but he arrived at his mother’s house seven hours later, panting, bleeding, and with his trousers rolled up.
A mobile phone and house keys were left in the car. Pagakis was eventually tracked down after an extensive police search involving PolAir and dog units.
“He looked … like he had seen the devil,” his mother Demetra Pagakis, 55, told The Daily Telegraph.
“He was in his shoes and had his trousers rolled up, his ankle was bleeding and he was full of scratches, he said he had been running for hours.
“When I asked: ‘What happened?’ He said: ‘Just leave me alone’, and went to bed and hid under the doona. He said he was tired and needed to sleep.
“An hour later police knocked on the door and arrested him.
“He was shaken and scared …. he’s been driving for 17 years and has never had a crash.”
Pagakis did not apply for bail in Parramatta Bail Court yesterday and his matter was adjourned to today.
He is charged with 10 offences including dangerous driving occasioning death and failing to stop and assist after a crash.
Outside of court Mr Proctor said it was a complicated matter with a lot of charges.
“I don’t want to say too much at all at this stage,” he said.
“It’s one of those matters where we have to look at all of the facts first.
“We will wait for the brief to be served on the 29th, we will look at it and go from there.”
The 12-year-old boy, who was in a Holden Captiva, died at the scene while a 36-year-old woman and a five-year-old girl — believed to be the boy’s mother and sister — were taken to hospital in a critical condition and last night they were in a serious but stable condition. The driver of the Captiva, a 38-year-old man, was taken to hospital for assessment.
The driver of another car, a 65-year-old man, and his passenger, a 58-year-old woman, were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The crash happened when the Commodore, travelling on the westbound M2 off ramp, hit a median strip and crossed the northbound lanes of Windsor Rd before hitting a second median strip and striking a stationary Land Rover Defender and Holden Captiva.
The impact of the hit caused the Captiva to smash into four other vehicles.
“The only way to describe the crash scene is absolutely horrific. We have had to cut five people out of their vehicles,” Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Kernin Lambert said.
“It was an extremely severe collision. People have been fighting for their lives. We have been trying to keep people alive.”
Originally published as Driver accused of fleeing fatal crash seen ‘looked like he had seen devil’
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