Deanna Azabal: Husband of grandmother killed in tragic car crash reveals heartbreak

The husband and daughter of an Illawarra grandmother who died in a car crash last year have expressed their grief in court, as the woman who caused the tragedy awaits her fate.

A heartbroken Albion Park grandfather who lost his lifelong sweetheart in a tragic car crash last year has shared his grief in a powerful statement in court.

Dean Spicer’s partner of 32 years, Angela Darragh, died when a Nissan Juke driven by Deanna Azabal veered into the Holden Statesman she was driving with her daughter, Clare Spicer, and two other family members.

Azabal was having an argument with her husband, Ivan, who was in the passenger seat at the time of the incident on Friday, March 5, 2021 with the two on the way home after abandoning a family function in Fairy Meadow.

Ms Darragh, 47, sustained fatal injuries to her head, chest and abdomen while her daughter and two other relatives were airlifted to Westmead Hospital.

Azabal pleaded guilty to negligent driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and two counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct earlier this year with her husband supporting her in Wollongong Local Court on Monday.

Angela Darragh, 47, died in the tragic incident near Figtree. Picture: Supplied

Mr Spicer told the court, which was filled with a dozen of Ms Darragh’s friends and family, how he was still coming to grips with the loss of the “big-hearted” mother of five.

“Ange had such a big heart,” Mr Spicer said.

“Ange was the matriarch of the family and now we’re all rudderless.

“I’ve lost my lifelong partner … Ange and I should have been able to grow old together.

“Some days I forget Angie died, then I wake up and my heart breaks again.”

Mr Spicer drove trains for 16 years leading up to that fateful day, but he said he revealed PTSD and his need to fill the void left by his wife’s death meant he hasn’t been able to work, placing the family under financial stress.

“I worked as a train driver, but I’ve stopped since that day as I try to learn to be a mum, dad, pop and nan,” he said.

“PTSD has affected everything in my life.

“The emotional impact on the boys has been catastrophic … I love my grandsons and I’ve been stepping up to fill the gap left by Ange.

“They’ll never have her come to grandparents’ days at school or watch them play sport.”

Deanna Azabal with her husband Ivan leaving Wollongong Courthouse on Monday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Their daughter Clare, who was 15 at the time of the tragic incident, also tendered a victim’s impact statement which Magistrate Claire Girotto read before sharing her condolences with her.

The court had previously heard Azabal and her husband had been having a spat ahead of attending her father-in-law’s 60th birthday at The Fraternity Club in Fairy Meadow.

Azabal was looking for her husband while engaging in a heated text-message argument which saw Ivan sending messages such as “By tomorrow it’ll be all over … Like a dead pet” and “Youre done, im done, just say goodbye”.

Ivan returned to the car at around 7pm when they decided against going to the celebrations and instead headed home.

The couple argued as Azabal drove them home, ignoring seven missed calls from her mother-in-law which came through the silver Nissan Juke’s bluetooth system.

At around 7.15pm, Azabal was looking at her husband when she swerved into Ms Darragh’s vehicle which forced it off the road and into a tree.

When police arrived, Ivan pleaded, “This is on me, this is all on me” while an “upset and emotionally exhausted” Azabal told them “probably just a combination of being distracted and I don’t know” caused the crash.

In court on Monday, Magistrate Girotto described it as “almost the worst type of case” given Azabal has expressed her remorse to the family and the court and “wasn’t doing anything wilfully negligent like speeding”.

The magistrate said she would need time to thoroughly go through the evidence and adjourned the sentencing until Monday, August 29.

Clare Spicer, the daughter of Angela Darragh, and her father Dean Spicer outside Wollongong Courthouse on Monday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Outside court the heartbroken husband and daughter told the media they appreciated Azabal’s apology and were looking forward to putting the court proceedings behind them.

“It was welcome,” Mr Spicer said.

“I knew she was going through a lot, so it was really good, she showed a lot of remorse.

“She could have pulled over. This argument was going on for quite a while, but she decided to keep driving until the accident happened.

“[The court proceedings finishing] will be a little weight off our shoulders so we can put it behind us and see how we go.”

Clare recalled sharing her love of cars, Macca’s and sunrises with her “great” mum.

“She was a great mum,” Ms Spicer said.

“She was with me all the time. Every weekend we would go on car cruises all over the place.

“We went on drives and in the mornings we used to go and get Macca’s and go down to the boat ramp at Bellambi and just look at the sunrise while we were eating.”