Driver on near-fatal dose of ice before Hurstville schoolboy’s death
A disqualified Sydney driver who hit a 12-year-old schoolboy — then smoked a cigarette and played on his phone as bystanders tried to save the child — was on a ‘toxic’ amount of ice when he struck the student, a court has heard.
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A toxic amount of ice was coursing through Rabih Abdulrahman’s veins as he gazed at the Sydney boy he had just hit with his car and lit a cigarette, a court has heard.
Traumatised onlookers desperately tried to save the 12-year-old’s life after moving him out from underneath Abdulrahman’s car, but the disqualified driver stood back, smoked and deleted messages on his phone.
“He did not assist or offer to assist as the witnesses were providing first aid,” agreed facts state.
“The level of methylamphetamine in his blood was well within the reported toxic to potentially fatal range.”
According to court documents, the 37-year-old father had been speeding through a Hurstville school zone during morning drop off time in September when he skipped a red light and struck the child.
Last week Abdulrahman pleaded guilty to the gifted Year 7 student’s manslaughter.
When police arrived at the scene outside Hurstville Public School, Abdulrahman refused to get off his phone and told them he wanted to charge it before falsely telling them: "I got hit by a car, it's not my fault!"
Abdulrahman lied again later in hospital, claiming another car had ploughed into his first.
Then at St George police station he claimed his traffic lights had been green, screaming: "go look for the car that hit me! I didn't mean to kill anyone, give me f***ing bail!"
The youngster had been walking to Sydney Technical High School with a friend around 8.30am on September 6 when Abdulrahman’s white Toyota Corolla came straight for him.
As the brilliant pianist and mathematical genius crossed the intersection of Lily Street and Forest Road he was hit by the sedan, which was travelling at 65 kilometres per hour in a 40km/h zone.
“The deceased was thrown into the air above the Corolla,” agreed facts show.
His 12-year-old mate who had been walking one metre behind watched the child be taken across the entire intersection — Abdulrahman didn’t brake until 13 metres after the stop line.
Abdulrahman, who had been serving a jail sentence in the community for driving offences at the time, mounted the kerb and his car dislodged a traffic light before smashing into the school’s fence.
Students, parents and teachers ran to the help the boy and an off-duty nurse pulled her car over and gave him CPR before paramedics arrived.
But the child was soon pronounced dead at Randwick Children’s Hospital after multiple traumatic injuries to his head, chest and pelvis triggered a heart attack.
Cops found a syringe in Abdulrahman’s car and blood tests revealed a cocktail of other drugs in his system including speed, methadone, Xanax and Valium.
According to court documents, The “uncooperative and agitated” Cartwright man told officers he’d taken cocaine three days ago “but I also take morphine every day. I take calmers everyday” for post traumatic stress disorder and depression.
“I’ve got f***ing PTSD. I need my medication,” Abdulrahman screamed before being handcuffed.
On Friday Abdulrahman will face Downing Centre District Court, where additional charges including driving whilst disqualified, prohibited drug possession and restricted substance possession have been referred.
Several back-up charges against Abdulrahman have now been withdrawn, including dangerous and negligent driving causing death, reckless driving, running a red light, drug driving and resisting police.
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