Kirrawee mechanic Daniel Abboud sentenced for negligent driving

A father caused significant damage to three cars and injuries to passengers when he collided with a car assisting another broken down vehicle.

Daniel Abboud was fined and sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday for a charge of negligent driving, with the court hearing he had an “outrageous” driving history. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A longstanding Sutherland Shire mechanic has been disqualified from driving for six months after he slammed into a car that was helping a broken-down vehicle.

Daniel Abboud, 42, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday for a charge of negligent driving, with the court hearing he had an “outrageous” driving history.

Agreed facts tendered to court said a man’s car had broken down and stopped in lane one of the Princes Highway in Kirrawee about 5pm on July 22 last year.

Another driver, with two children in the back, stopped behind the broken down vehicle to assist.

Both cars had hazard lights on.

About 6pm, Abboud was driving his Nissan Skyline with a friend and employee in the car along The Boulevard before he turned left onto the Princes Highway where he immediately accelerated.

The Illawong father was travelling about 10km/h above the speed limit before he accelerated, changed gears and travelled faster, with the noise alerting the owners of the other cars.

The driver in front of Abboud merged to avoid the broken-down car, but Abboud could not stop in time and skidded about 50m into the rear of the second car.

Daniel Abboud was disqualified from driving for six months in Sutherland Local Court.

The force of the crash caused minor injuries to the children in the second car, which was pushed forward into the broken-down vehicle.

Both Abboud and his passenger were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

In court, Abboud’s defence lawyer Mustafa Agar said his client, who owns Southern Eurotech in Kirrawee, had completed the traffic offender’s program, accepted responsibility for his actions, was married and had three children.

Mr Agar submitted Abboud needed his licence for work so he could carry out test drives of customers’ cars.

The court heard Abboud had been a mechanic for 26 years, 15 of those in the Sutherland Shire.

Magistrate Phillip Stewart said the negligent driving incident was serious and required people to be taken to hospital.

He noted Abboud had an “appalling” and “outrageous” driving record that included eight offences for speeding more than 30km/h or 45km/h over the limit.

Mr Stewart convicted and fined Abboud $750 and disqualified him for driving for six months.