Abdullah Yousif refused bail for alleged Glenfield hit-and-run killing 70-year-old pedestrian

A 25-year-old man will remain behind bars on remand for an alleged hit-and-run in Sydney’s southwest which killed a 70-year-old man while he crossed the road. Here’s what happened in court.

Emergency services were called to Canterbury Rd at Glenfield on Monday. Picture: Thomas Lisson

A 25-year-old disqualified driver has been refused bail for an alleged hit-and-run in Sydney’s southwest on Monday which killed 70-year-old pedestrian Boris Marusic.

Abdullah Yousif was charged with three offences over the fatal incident – negligent driving occasioning death, failure to assist after vehicle impact causing death and driving while disqualified.

Police arrested Yousif at his home on Kokoda Place, Glenfield, about 1pm on Tuesday, where they also located a silver ute with “significant damage” and number plates removed matching the description of the vehicle captured on CCTV and dashcam footage during the alleged incident.

The alleged hit-and-run took place in the same suburb the day prior, at a traffic light intersection at Canterbury and Belmont roads in Glenfield about 4.15pm Monday, with emergency services called by members of the public who had witnessed the 70-year-old pedestrian allegedly mowed down while crossing.

Paramedics treated Mr Marusic at the scene for critical injuries, before transporting him to Liverpool Hospital where he died that evening.

Boris Marusic died on Monday in an alleged hit-and-run. Picture: 9News

Police refused Yousif bail to attend Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday, when he was further formally refused bail by Magistrate Shane McAnulty.

The court heard Yousif was allegedly driving to Glenfield station despite having a disqualified licence, and was proceeding through a green light at the intersection when he allegedly struck the elderly man, with dashcam footage from a passing vehicle on Canterbury Rd capturing vision of Mr Marusic allegedly being “thrown to the ground”.

Campbelltown Local Court heard details about Abdullah Yousif’s previous traffic history.

Rather than stopping and calling emergency services, a court heard the accused allegedly fled the scene and continued to drive to the station where he then called his mother.

The court was told Yousif had a lengthy criminal history “almost exclusively consisting of traffic offences”.

Mr McAnulty noted the “ink had barely dried” on an 18-month intensive correction order and disqualification from holding a licence he was sentenced to in January, “clearly breached by the current offences”.

Yousif’s history also includes multiple speeding offences of over 30km above the limit as recent as November last year and a driving under the influence of drugs charge in 2020.

After his arrest, Yousif allegedly admitted to police that he did not see the victim while driving through a green light which gave him right of way, and “stopped too late”, a court heard.

Defence solicitor Abdul Lazki acknowledged the severity of the charges facing his client and the likelihood of Yousif serving a full-time jail sentence, but argued strict bail conditions including house arrest could mitigate risks to the public and the chances of him failing to appear in court.

He stated that Yousif’s mother would take an “active role” to ensure the accused complied with a “strict regime” of conditions and keeping him from accessing any motor vehicles.

However, Mr McAnulty was not satisfied that any conditions would “overcome” his risk to the community because of his history of breaching court orders.

“He is a person who should not be on the road in any condition for any reason,’’ he said.

Yousif was refused bail to remain behind bars at Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday. His matter is set to return to the same court in July.

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Originally published as Abdullah Yousif refused bail for alleged Glenfield hit-and-run killing 70-year-old pedestrian