Abdeladim Dafer Aghinnia: Uber driver avoids full-time jail after woman lands 15 metres away from horror collision

An Uber driver on a cocktail of prescribed restricted substances has learnt his fate in court after driving through a red light and colliding with a woman who landed 15 metres away.

Downing Centre Local Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

An Uber driver on a cocktail of prescribed restricted substances who drove through a red light and collided with a woman, who was thrown into the air before landing 15 metres away, has avoided a full-time jail sentence.

Despite the consequences from Abdeladim Dafer Aghinnia’s offending, the woman told Downing Centre Local Court she did not wish for the 31-year-old to go to jail.

The Guildford man had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, driving through a red light and possessing a prescribed restricted substance.

The woman spoke about waking up in an ambulance and a nurse calling her a “miracle girl” and that she “shouldn’t be here”.

She told the court about being hooked up to a ketamine drip and being on opioids, yet still screaming at night due to the agonising pain and spending weeks in hospital and rehab.

She said she was fearful of even going to the beach and later being diagnosed with PTSD.

“Your recklessness has aged me by decades,” the woman said.

“Am I angry at you ... yes and no.”

Yes, for how her injuries would affect her daily life, but no, because she felt like they “had great luck that morning”.

“If you’d killed me, your life would be [different, ... now] we both get another shot,” she said.

“I don’t want you to be jailed ... I want you to properly acknowledge [what you did].”

Agreed facts detail the collision on the morning of February 28 last year with Aghinnia driving a Toyota Camry which he had hired to work as an Uber driver.

Abdeladim Dafer Aghinnia after leaving Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday.

A witness driving directly behind, noticed Aghinnia slowly veering between lanes which was also captured on CCTV.

The woman had waited until the pedestrian light turned green.

Aghinnia drove towards the intersection of New Canterbury Rd and Toothill St, however, he did not slow down for the red light, instead he collided with the woman who was thrown into the air and landed approximately 15 metres away, agreed facts state.

She was taken to hospital with police later arriving at the scene.

The woman underwent multiple surgeries and suffered a number of injuries including fractures, dislocations, lacerations and chipped teeth.

Aghinnia told police he was driving 40 to 50km/h and that he didn’t see the victim.

Police found three Pregabalin tablets in his car and analysis of his blood found it alongside Clonazepam in his system.

Agreed facts state he bought the Pregabalin two days prior from someone for $35.

Aghinnia’s lawyer said his client was “incredibly ... remorseful” which Magistrate Robyn Denes didn’t accept.

The court heard he had trauma from the Iraq war, suffered from “serious mental health issues” and hadn’t driven since the collision.

Ultimately, Ms Denes decided against sending him to full-time jail.

“None of us would walk around with a loaded firearm with the safety off ... that would be reckless and dangerous ... you behind the wheel ... is exactly that,” she said.

Aghinnia was ultimately sentenced to an 18 month jail sentence in the community by way of an intensive correction order for the dangerous driving. He must also complete 120 hours of community service and is disqualified from driving for three years.

He was convicted and fined $350 for the two other charges.