Daniel Walsh Eastgardens crash: Alessandro Greco guilty of negligent driving

A young piano teacher has taken responsibility for a fatal blunder which tragically killed a much-loved navy sailor riding his scooter in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

A young piano teacher has taken responsibility for a fatal blunder which tragically killed a much-loved navy sailor riding his Yamaha scooter in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Alessandro Greco, 22, was behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Challenger travelling north on Bunnerong Rd, Eastgardens, the opposite direction of 29-year-old Daniel Walsh on his scooter about 2pm on Friday, May 8 last year.

Daniel Walsh has been remembered as a "kind and gentle man". He is pictured with his partner Karliagh McQuade-Walls.

Tragedy struck at the Fitzgerald Ave intersection, near Westfield Eastgardens, when Greco turned right into the path of a homeward bound Mr Walsh.

The agreed facts state Greco only saw the navy sailor just 5m before the collision, with the force dislodging Mr Walsh’s helmet before he hit the ground. Mr Walsh died that evening at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Greco told police officers at the crash scene: “I was driving, I had to turn right, the light was green, and he came from the other side. Anyway, that’s really all that happened …. I did not see him at all.”

Alessandro Greco (left) outside court with his lawyer.

Later, he revealed he had smoked a cannabis cigarette the night before, however a medical professional was of the opinion the traces of cannabis found in his system wouldn’t have impacted his driving.

A report by crash investigation officers stated Greco should’ve seen the victim up to 60m before the collision point and failed to safely slow to complete his right-hand turn.

The Hillsdale man pleaded guilty to negligent driving occasioning death and driving with an illicit drug present in oral fluid, with the most serious charge of dangerous driving occasioning death withdrawn.

Greco will be sentenced in the Local Court next month