Sonny Anthony Lee Amatto: Wellington father learns fate after crashing into tree, car and running away

A 33-year-old father of seven from Wellington has learnt his fate in court after crashing an unregistered vehicle into a tree and car before running away. Find out his sentence here.

Sonny Amatto appeared in Wellington Local Court on Tuesday, November 22.

A Wellington father who was suspended from driving until 2030, hit a tree on the side of the road and collided with another car before running from the scene, a court has heard.

Sonny Anthony Lee Amatto, 33, appeared in Wellington Local Court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to negligent driving, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period – 2nd offence – use unregistered registrable class A motor vehicle, use uninsured motor vehicle and not give particulars to owner of damaged vehicle.

Wellington Local Court. Photo: Google Maps

According to an agreed set of facts tendered to court, Amatto was driving his cousin’s black Holden commodore sedan on Dalton St, Orange on June 25 about 1.13pm when he “veered to the left” and collided with a large tree – “approximately three metres from the kerb side”.

“The vehicle spun in an approximate 180 degree motion … as [it] spun out of control, the front off-side collided heavily with a parked Subaru Forester,” agreed facts reveal.

“This collision … [caused] considerable damage to the rear end panels and drive-line.”

While the passenger was initially confined within the vehicle, Amatto exited and began walking away from the scene, with bystanders calling out to the 33-year-old.

An off-duty police officer who witnessed the collisions, saw Amatto running north on Sale St before police arrived at the scene “within minutes”.

Officers spoke with the passenger in the car, who “smelt strongly of intoxicating liquor”.

After being asked a number of questions, the passenger said words to the effect of “I don’t know … I was drinking at a pub and got a lift … I’m not answering your questions”.

The passenger refused to identify the driver of the car as police noticed a “minor oral laceration” to his mouth.

Various witnesses told their version of events to police and the vehicle was seized for forensic analysis.

Sonny Amatto appeared in Wellington Local Court on Tuesday.

Some time later when police had left the scene, the owner of the black Holden commodore alerted police about his vehicle being stolen and the next day, he attended Orange Police Station to file a report.

“The owner told police that the vehicle was left with the keys in the ignition and he did not know who was driving the vehicle at the time,” agreed facts reveal.

“Further checks reveal that the vehicle [Amatto] was driving had its registration cancelled from June 5, 2021.”

During forensic analysis of the vehicle, DNA testing returned a profile on the police database, matching Amatto.

He spoke with officers at Wellington Police Station, saying he had driven the vehicle before, but wasn’t in Orange at the time of the offence, however police requested data from Optus which negated Amatto’s claims, indicating his phone was active in Orange, that same day.

After becoming “evasive”, Amatto was located on August 14, sitting in a parked vehicle on Nanima Village Rd in Wellington, where he was arrested and taken to Dubbo Police Station.

Dubbo Police Station. Picture: Ryan Young

On Tuesday Magistrate Emma Manea was “concerned” with Amatto caring for seven children while be disqualified.

“I am concerned [you having] seven children, you will be off the road for a very long time if you keep going down this path,’ Magistrate Manea said.

However after back-and-forth discussions with Amatto’s lawyer, Toshi Weller-Wong, he did not concede the section five threshold – where a court must be satisfied that no penalty other than imprisonment is appropriate – was crossed.

Mr Weller-Wong explained his client has expressed “genuine regret” for his actions and this was evidenced through his sentencing assessment report.

He told the court Amatto has a “significant history” of domestic violence and in a bid to de-escalate an argument with his partner, he chose to “remove himself from the situation”.

“As a community, where would we prefer him to be in that situation? Ideally in neither of them,” Mr Weller-Wong said.

Magistrate Mania questioned Mr Weller-Wong’s argument, saying “but if you hit a person, then they [could] be dead”.

“The section five is crossed [but] I do believe there is genuine contrition and remorse,” Magistrate Manea said.

“I am not going to impose a full time custodial sentence today.

“I need to send a message to the community that if you drive in this fashion … it is really serious … and won’t be tolerated.”

Ultimately, Amatto was placed on a six-month intensive correction order, disqualified from driving for six months and handed 50 hours of community service work.

“You’re going to have a jail sentence hanging over your head,” Magistrate Manea told Amatto.