Sanaz Arquazi pleads guilty to failing to provide police with information to assist in Mernda investigation
A woman who managed to stall court proceedings on a road rage incident for more than three years has finally been forced to face the music after an unimpressed magistrate refused her application for an adjournment.
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A woman who dodged court for more than three years after her car was involved in a violent road rage incident in Mernda has finally been forced to face the music.
Sanaz Arquazi fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court today where she attempted to ask for another adjournment on charges she failed to provide police with information about who was driving her car in July 2016 when it was involved in a road rage attack and failing to answer bail.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Jean-Phillipe Britt told the court a man and his wife were driving on Galloway Drive, Mernda, on July 11, 2016, when a man and a woman travelling in a car behind them overtook them and stopped in front of them, preventing their car from moving.
The man then got out of his car and walked over to the driver and began abusing him before punching him in the face and hitting his windscreen causing it to crack, Sen-Constable Britt told the court.
The man continued to swear at the driver and hit and kick his car, while his passenger also got out and started yelling at the woman sitting in the car next to the man who was punched, Sen-Constable Britt told the court.
When police came knocking on Ms Arquazi’s door the following month, Ms Arquazi refused to tell them who was driving her car, despite being obliged to under the law as the car’s registered owner, he said.
At court today Ms Arquazi attempted to ask Magistrate Meagan Keogh for another adjournment, telling her she did not have a lawyer and was sick and moving house on previous occasions so she couldn’t attend court.
But Ms Keogh told Ms Arquazi the matter had dragged on too long and must proceed.
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“You’ve had lots and lots of opportunity since August 2016 to get advice to understand the charge,” Ms Keogh said.
“You’ve just not been coming or asking for an adjournment and no progress is being made.
“The court wants to deal with it today, it’s been adjourned far too many times.”
Ms Arquazi pleaded guilty to not providing police with information as requested and for failing to answer bail.
Ms Keogh fined her $800 without conviction and warned her to provide information to the police in future when requested.