Ali Karimi fronts court for causing road fatality in Berwick
A loving father dropped his son off at school but didn’t make it home as a drugged-up speeding driver bolted through a red light in Berwick and caused the family man’s death.
South East
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A drugged-up, drunken hoon who took the life of a much-loved father and husband after he drove through a red light and caused a horrific fatal collision has been jailed.
Killer driver Ali Karimi, 27, of, Cranbourne was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months imprisonment when he appeared in the County Court on Friday after earlier pleading guilty to culpable driving causing death and reckless conduct endangering life.
Karimi, bolted through a red light at the intersection of O’Shea Rd and Kimbarra Drive in Berwick just before 8am on September 15, 2023 and slammed into a Subaru Forester driven by Anuruddha Priyankara who died at the scene.
Mr Priyankara, 49, worked as a senior technology specialist and engineer at Telstra and was a beloved figure throughout Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.
Judge Carolene Gwynn read out excerpts from an emotional victim impact statement from Mr Priyankara’s wife Priyashini who said special occasions and milestones have turned to sadness without him.
“She said every corner of their family home now feels his absence. Her daughter’s 21st birthday was nine weeks following the collision.
“Her son turned 14, six weeks after the collision. Neither had their father to celebrate with them.”
“Her son was only 13 when his father was killed. He now carries blame and guilt for the collision because it occurred after his father had taken him to school. Of course he bears no responsibility. You do,” Judge Gwynn told Karimi who appeared via a link from prison.
Investigations revealed Karimi was an unlicensed driver and had consumed alcohol and drugs prior to getting behind the wheel, with his girlfriend Bailey Andrew seated in the front passenger’s seat.
Police estimated Karimi was driving between 117km/h and 136 km/h at the time of the collision.
His vehicle was unregistered, displayed false registration plates and Karimi gave his brother’s name when spoken to by police at the scene.
Witness Laura Cargill told police: “I saw a blue ute drive up to the end of the line of traffic...the ute floored it and drove onto the wrong side of the Greaves Road and into
oncoming traffic”.
Judge Gwynn said other witnesses saw Karimi speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road forcing motorists to take evasive action and crossing the red light like a “flash”.
She said Karimi constantly weaved through traffic with no regard for passengers and other road users and his deliberate decision to get behind the wheel when he wasn’t allowed to ended with tragic consequences.
Karimi will have to serve six years and 10 months before he’ll be eligible for parole.
