Christopher Joannidis pleads guilty to killing five people in collision at Strathmerton

The driver behind Victoria’s deadliest collision in more than a decade was pulled over by police and warned about road fatalities in the region just minutes before he killed five people.

Christopher Joannidis, who killed five people in a collision involving his Mercedes, a ute, and a B-double truck in Strathmerton in April 2023, is seen arriving at the County Court in Melbourne. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

A driver on his way to a wedding failed to adhere to crucial warning signs and rumble strips in the lead up to a three-way collision which killed five people, the worst road tragedy on Victorian roads in a decade.

Christopher Dillon Joannidis, 30, pleaded guilty in the County Court on November 27 after he caused a catastrophic head-on collision in Strathmerton last year.

Joannidis pleaded guilty to five counts of dangerous driving causing death after he failed to give way at the notorious intersection of the Murray Valley Highway and Labuan Rd on April 20, 2023.

After going past crucial rumble strips and multiple give way signs, Joannidis’ Mercedes C180 sedan T-boned a Nissan Navara, which spun and rolled into the path of an oncoming milk tanker, crushing the Navara beyond recognition.

The five people inside the Nissan – Debbie Markey, 62 and overseas workers Pin-Yu Wang, Hsin-Yu Chen, Wai-Yan Lam and Zih-Yao Chen, were instantly killed.

Joannidis’ front-seat passenger, Eleanor Theeboom, his partner at the time, survived the collision.

Milk tanker driver Andrew McClusky suffered injuries in the collision.

The Nissan Navara after the horrific collision. All five people inside were instantly killed. Picture: Ian Currie

Joannidis’ Mercedes after he failed to give way at a notorious Goulburn Valley intersection, resulting in the deaths of five people.

Joannidis, now of Glen Iris, had been intercepted by Cobram highway patrol officers just moments before the horrific collision and was given a ticket for doing 118km/h in a 100km/h zone.

Joannidis, a barista, told police he thought the speed limit was 110km/h, the court heard.

In body worn footage played to the court, the police warned Joannidis of the region’s horrific recent road toll.

Joannidis drove off, but barely a minute later the same police that pulled Joannidis over “heard on the radio” there had been a collision between a truck and two cars and attended the crime scene.

Joannidis and Ms Theeboom were on the way to a wedding in NSW, the court heard.

Killer driver Christopher Joannidis arriving at court with his legal team. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

A raft of harrowing victim impact statements were read to the court.

Zih-Yao Chen’s mother Wang Chia Chen “cries everyday” as a result of her son’s death, the court heard.

She now suffers from insomnia and can’t get the “horrific image of her son’s body being dismembered” out of her head.

Pin-Yu Wang’s single mother Yi-Chuan Chiu had been shattered and devastated by her daughter’s loss, and her victim impact statement spoke about her love for cooking.

“Losing Pin-Yu has been unbearable and I now cry and live in pain everyday,” her statement read.

Hsin-Yu Chen’s father Chun-an Chen said his family would never be the same following their daughter’s loss.

Daniel Montero, Ms Markey’s son, told the court of the moment he visited the crash scene, where he found his mum’s glasses and drivers’ licence scattered on the ground.
“I decided to do something nice for my mum that night, and made a picture frame of friends and family and hung it at the site,” Mr Montero said.

“I felt pain I never thought was possible.”

Before her death, Ms Markey had renovated her home to accommodate overseas workers and would cook and entertain them.

“She was their mum in Australia in so many ways,” Mr Montero told the court.

“Her final act in this world was an act of kindness.”

Daniel Montero with his beloved late mother Deborah Markey. Source: Facebook

Deborah Markey’s “last act on earth was an act of kindness”. Source: Facebook

Mr McClusky was in shock for months after the collision, he told the court.

“My first thought was that I had been responsible for the deaths of a number of people,” Mr McClusky told the court.

“I can’t help think of how much worse things could have been if the truck went off to the right into oncoming traffic, there could have been more deaths or serious injuries.”

Mr McClusky visited the crash scene a year on from the collision and planned to go every year to pay respects to the victims.

The court heard Mr McClusky has been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered from “constant flashbacks”.

Mr McClusky was not in anyway at fault for the collision, the court heard.

The Joannidis family has been rocked by the tragedy, the court heard. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Defence lawyer Paul Smallwood told the court Joannidis’ offending had “catastrophic” consequences and brought about “immeasurable” human suffering.

Mr Smallwood submitted Joannidis’ moral culpability was lowered by trees obscuring the highway, the “crest” before the intersection and the fact the speed limit did not lower below 100km/h on Labuan Rd.

Mr Smallwood said Joannidis, who attended Donvale Christian College, was full of self-hatred that may never leave him, while the entire Joannidis family had been rocked by the tragedy.

“He has severe regret and remorse for the horrific incident,” Mr Smallwood said.

“The entire Joannidis family is shocked and distraught.”

Joannidis, who was supported in court by his family, Ms Theeboom and her family and a family friend, has suffered from mental health issues since he was 9.

In 2009, Joannidis’ mother suffered a stroke and his best friend died from leukemia, the court heard.

As a result, his mental state worsened in his mid-teens.

Top road cop Glenn Weir said it was Victoria’s deadliest collision since 2012.

Judge Gavan Meredith said “anyone paying attention” would have noticed the warning signs before the intersection.

Joannidis was remanded into custody by Judge Meredith, despite Mr Smallwood protesting that his client be kept on bail.

“I accept that he is significantly distressed, but I am not going to extend his bail,” Judge Meredith said.

The plea will resume on January 23, where Mr Smallwood will call Joannidis’ psychiatrist as a witness.

At the time, Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said it was Victoria’s deadliest road crash in more than a decade.

“I’ve seen the vision from the truck. It is horrific,” he said.

In 2012, five people died in a head-on collision on the Princes Hwy in Lara.

Casey Valetic, Melissa Parry, Brad Dickson and Nathan Kerr died on their way home from a night out in Geelong on December 8, 2012.

The fifth person, Sarah Houlihan (also known as Dale), had been travelling about 160km/h in her BMW on the wrong side of the highway from Werribee towards Geelong when she collided with the northbound sedan.

The coroner’s court probed the intersection after two fatal collisions in 12 months.
The outcome of the inquest, which has been paused, has not yet been determined.

The court heard there had been some changes made to the intersection since the collision.