Two in court after shot fired, chase and crash in Edmondson Park
WHAT started as a call-out to a domestic violence incident ended in a shot allegedly being fired at a man and a car crash in which a woman was seriously injured in Sydney’s southwest, a court was told today.
NSW
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A WOMAN has been seriously injured in a car accident and shots fired following a police pursuit in south west Sydney.
But the man who sped through a red light and smashed into a car with a child in it has told Parramatta Local Court “I’m so sorry”.
Ellias Khouri, 29, is accused of stomping on his partner during a heated argument outside a home in Dwyer Rd, Leppington at about 7.30am Friday.
According to court papers Khouri, an unemployed criminal on parole for firearm offences, was standing outside a Mitsubishi WRX alongside another man, James Scicluna, 36, who was in a white ute.
Nearby resident Adam Hawarth came out of his house to try and help the woman, who was also being kicked and punched.
What Mr Haworth didn’t realise was that Khouri was carrying a loaded 0357 Smith and Wesson revolver in his car.
Mr Howarth was forced to run for cover after being shot at once, according to court papers.
The men fled, each in their own car, before a marked police patrol vehicle spotted the Mitsubishi WRX on Camden Valley Way, Leppington at 7.38am.
The white ute then obstructed the police vehicle from getting to the WRX, documents tendered to Parramatta Local Court state.
Khouri, the WRX driver who is on a provisional licence, accelerated harshly and a pursuit began.
Police stopped the chase soon after because of safety concerns.
Police say they have CCTV footage of Khouri getting into Scicluna’s ute on Pom Pom Close, Edmondson Park at 7.55am.
At 8.10am police officers spotted the ute and gave chase.
The court was told the ute then allegedly sped through a red light and collided with a Suzuki Swift, which had a child in the car.
The driver of the Suzuki suffered broken ribs, bleeding on the brain and other internal bleeding. She is in Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition. The child escaped serious injury.
Khouri, from Beverly Hills, was the passenger in that car with James Scicluna.
Police arrested Khouri a short time later and found a loaded 0357 Smith and Wesson revolver “wrapped in a sock in his underwear”.
The gun had three live bullets and one spent shell.
Scicluna was also arrested and charged with aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grevious bodily harm, hindering police and concealing the indictable offence of another person.
During a brief court appearance via video link Saturday, Scicluna kept saying “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry”.
His partner, who is 37 weeks pregnant, was crying in the courtroom.
The landscape gardener, who has a five-year-old son, was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday.
Khouri was charged with five firearm charges, three driving offences and one assault charge.
He was denied bail and will appear in court 23 October.
Police are also seeking an apprehended violence order for Khouri’s partner.