Jacky Pak-Keung Wan of Mitcham, drink driver, jailed for eight years after killing 97-year-old pedestrian

A MAN has been sentenced to eight years in jail for killing a 97-year-old pedestrian in Box Hill after running a red light while driving drunk.

A MITCHAM man has been sentenced to eight years in jail after he killed a 97-year-old pedestrian in Box Hill while driving drunk.

Jacky Pak-Keung Wan had also been awake for more than 21 hours when he ran a red light on Whitehorse Road, Box Hill, at 8.55am on Saturday, October 7, 2017.

Wan drove through the red light and hit Leslie Tisseveresinghe, 97, who was using the pedestrian crossing, at 57km/h, the County Court heard earlier this month.

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The court heard his blood alcohol concentration would have been between 0.102 and 0.116 at the time of the incident.

Judge Frank Gucciardo said dash camera footage revealed Wan’s car was 85m from the crossing when the light turned red, and it did not slow down as it continued towards the crossing.

According to a witness, Wan exited his car after the incident and walked over to Mr Tisseveresinghe, but did not help when she asked him to phone 000.

Judge Gucciardo said the dash-cam in Wan’s car revealed his “harrowing” driving in the lead up to the incident, showing he was “unable to remain within the marked lane”, swerved across the road and erratically changed speeds.

“Clearly the combination of fatigue and alcoholic intoxication resulted in very poor driving,” Judge Gucciardo said.

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He said Wan “failed unjustifiably and to a gross degree, to observe the standard of care which a reasonable man would have observed in all the circumstances”.

The judge said Wan’s stern punishment would send a message to all road users.

“The community will not tolerate the taking of human life by acts of gross negligence.”

Wan pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death, and was handed a non-parole period of five and a half years.