Warwick Mirzikinian: Point Piper poker champ’s apology over death of Julien Trameaux
Warwick Mirzikinian stood and told the court ‘not a day goes by’ that he doesn’t think about the young, French UberEats cyclist Julien Trameaux, who he hit and killed along New South Head Rd in 2017.
Wentworth Courier
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A large factor which contributed to the death of young Julien Trameaux was that Point Piper poker player Warwick Mirzikinian was driving a noiseless Tesla when he hit the French national, a court has heard.
A large factor which contributed to the death of young Julien Trameaux was that Point Piper poker player Warwick Mirzikinian was driving a noiseless Tesla when he hit the French national, a court has heard.
The statistical market analyst, along with a friend of the 24-year-old he killed with his vehicle, read out separate statements of grief to the Downing Centre District Court on Friday, almost three years on from the incident.
Three of Mr Trameaux's friends sat in court.
“Not a day goes by where we don’t think about our son – our little boy as he used to be,” the late Trameaux’s family wrote in a victim impact statement emotionally read out by a friend in court.
Mirzikinian, a father of six, apologised for the pain he has caused the victim's family.
“Not a day goes by where I don’t think of the young victim and his family,” he told the court.
“I am sorry” rang out in the courtroom as Mirzikinian finished shakily reading out his apology letter.
But the pain is uneven, the professional gambler conceded.
“We still can’t accept the fact we will never see him again,” Mr Trameaux’s friend read as he wept.
“We miss everything about him … His sunny disposition … Always looking on the bright side of life.
“He was building a future for himself.”
Mirzikinian had previously pleaded guilty to the charge of dangerous driving occasioning death, following the November 2017 incident.
A large “misfortune” of the “tragic accident” which killed Mr Trameaux, the defence stated, was that Mirzikinian was driving an electric car, a Tesla P100, which makes no noise.
A “horrible combination of events” led to Mr Trameaux’s death, the defence argued, which included that Mirzikinian had the sun directly in his eyes, that Mr Trameaux was carrying an UberEats backpack which possibly obstructed his vision, wearing earpods and had just moved from the footpath onto the road.
“He didn’t see him, in fact, until after he’d hit his car,” Mirzikinian’s defence lawyer stated.
The court heard Mr Trameaux was working hard as an UberEats driver towards his dream of acquiring a French bakery in Sydney with his friends.
He had just picked up a delivery in Double Bay and was riding towards Edgecliff.
Police facts state that Mirzikinian was driving west on New South Head Rd Double Bay about 6.30pm on November 13, 2017 when he dangerously moved across three lanes and collided with the rear of Mr Trameaux’s bike.
Mr Trameaux slammed into the car’s windscreen with the impact throwing him some distance onto the road.
Distressed, Mirzikinian attempted to render first aid on Mr Trameaux.
He was later seen by witnesses sitting on a wall, crying, the police facts state.
The court heard that Mirzikinian attended the French consulate to track down Mr Trameaux’s family.
The millionaire wrote in a letter to the family that he wanted to pay for the funeral, the burial, and fly Mr Trameaux’s body to France – an offer which the family declined.
Mirzikinian won more than $324,000 at a no-limit hold’em event last July and has estimated ‘casino winnings’ at $991,769.
His defence asked that the matter be dealt with by way of a Conditional Corrections Order.
The sentencing hearing continues.