Blacktown man Bedir Kanmaz pleads guilty to drug driving after child’s death

A Sydney man busted driving with meth in his system at the time of a fatal crash that claimed the life of a five-year-old child has told a local court he “failed the boy”.

Bedir Kanmaz, 42, of Blacktown, pleaded guilty at Blacktown Local Court. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

A Sydney man has told the family of a five-year-old child he “failed the boy” following a fatal road accident, after admitting in court to having meth in his system at the time of the crash.

Bedir Kanmaz, 42, of Blacktown, pleaded guilty at Blacktown Local Court on Tuesday to driving with an illicit drug present following a “tragic” road crash on Richmond Rd at Doonside on May 27.

Kanmaz has not faced any criminal charges in relation to the death of the child.

About 12.30pm, Kanmaz was driving his red Hyundai i30 sedan westbound when 200m from the Hill End Rd intersection a five-year-old boy ran out onto the road and in front of the neighbouring vehicle, agreed police facts tendered to court stated.

“The driver of the other vehicle was able to slow down enough to avoid collision,” the facts stated.

“However, Kanmaz was not able to stop quick enough and the child collided with the front of his vehicle.

“The impact caused immediate fatal injuries.”

At the time of the crash, Kanmaz did not make any admissions to police to consuming drugs at any time prior to the collision.

Kanmaz was sentenced in Blacktown Local Court.

Shortly after, he was taken to Blacktown Hospital where a mandatory blood sample was taken.

The facts reveal that further analyses of the sample determined Kanmaz had about 0.01mg/l of amphetamine and 0.07/l of meth in his system.

Interviewed by officers at Blacktown Police Station, Kanmaz again made no admissions to consuming drugs prior to the crash.

In a report tendered to court, NSW Police Impaired Driving Research Unit forensic pharmacologist Ben Ryan was unable to determine whether the amount of drugs in Kanmaz’s system would have caused him to be “impaired” at the time of the collision.

In sentencing, Magistrate Rami Atta said he would deal only with the drug driving charge, not being “aggravated” by the child’s death.

“The facts that come before me are tragic,” Mr Atta said.

“This is not a trivial offence. It is aggravated by the fact this is not the first time you’ve been in court.

“You were charged in 2019 for a much more serious offence of driving while on drugs.”

Nonetheless, Mr Atta said he believed Kanmaz, who had undertaken seven weeks of rehab, was genuine in his remorse.

Blacktown Local Court

In a letter to the court, Kanmaz said he was “horrified” by the incident, and struggled daily with thoughts of the family’s grief.

“I did not realise a child was near the road,” he said.

“When I did see the child, I was terrified he was crossing my lane of path and I was unable to stop.

“In my blood analyses there was meth present. That must have played an unreasonable affect on my driving; it only makes the situation worse.

“I have failed the young boy –and everyone involved– with my foolish behaviour.”

Kanmaz told the court he had been on his way home after taking his mother to an appointment at the time of the crash.

Since the incident, he had undertaken drug rehab, as well as counselling and regular drug testing.

His lawyer tendered to the court clean drug test readings, and that the amounts in his system at the time of the crash was considered low.

Kanmaz was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for six months.