Nasifay Nigato fronts court over fatal road collision

The cancer-stricken daughter of an 80-year-old Melbourne woman killed in a road collision caused by a disability support worker spoke of her grief at losing her carer.

Disability support worker Nasifay Nigato leaves the County Court after pleading guilty to causing a collision that killed 80-year-old Annette Wyatt near Tylden.

A Melbourne disability support worker has admitted causing a fatal collision that claimed the life of an 80-year-old woman who was caring for her cancer-stricken daughter.

Nasifay Nigato, 35, of St Albans was returning with another disability support worker and a special needs person on June 25, 2023 when she drove at speed on a bend and collided with an oncoming vehicle on the Tylden-Woodend Rd intersection, near Tylden.

The oncoming vehicle was driven by Tricia Wyatt whose mother Annette Wyatt was the front seat passenger who succumbed to her injuries five days after the collision.

Tricia Wyatt suffered a broken ankle that required surgery and fractures to her left shoulder, collar bone and three ribs. She spent 10 days in hospital and three weeks at a rehabilitation centre.

Annette Wyatt was killed in a road collision caused by disability support worker Nasifay Nigato near Tylden.

Nigato appeared for a plea hearing in the County Court on Friday after earlier pleading guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing death.

Fighting back tears while reading her victim impact statement in court, Ms Wyatt said her world had turned upside down after losing her mother who was her carer while she underwent cancer treatment.

“She did more than being simply by my bed all day. She also knew when to ask for help. It doesn’t matter how old you are, when you are unwell you need your mum to be with you.

“It seems unreal that such a beautiful and caring lady was taken from me before her time. A part of me is now missing,” she said.

As a result of the accident, Ms Wyatt said she was nervous to be in cars and was afraid to drive outside her local area.

She and her mum travelled together many times and enjoyed local and overseas holidays but going to the movies, shopping and dinner by herself since her death has been difficult, she said.

Prosecutor Ben Kerlin said a motorist who saw the collision told police that Nigato had been swerving in and out of lanes between Woodend town and the crash scene.

A crash scene reconstruction expert estimated that Nigato was travelling about 108km/h just before her Volkswagen Golf veered on the wrong lane and collided with Ms Wyatt’s Toyota RAV4.

Defence lawyer Thea Casey said Nigato’s guilty plea reflected her remorse and that she struggled with overwhelming guilt from her actions.

Nigato was remanded on bail for further plea and sentencing on May 19.