Damian Wangman, Tyson Russell plead guilty over fatal street crash

The widow of an elderly man who died in a fatal crash three years ago has told of the heartbreak she has faced every day since she lost the love of her life.

Maxwell Awty was killed in a car crash.

The widow of an elderly man who died in a fatal crash three years ago has told of the heartbreak she has faced every day since she lost the love of her life.

Maxwell Awty suffered serious injuries when his car spun “out of control” when it was struck by another car along Melbourne Rd, Norlane just after 5pm on October 14, 2020.

The other car, a sedan, was being driven by Damian Wangman who was “street racing” friend Tyson Russell at the time of the crash.

Wangman, from Lovely Banks, and Russell, of Lara, pleaded guilty in the Geelong County Court on Wednesday to culpable driving causing the death

Street racer Tyson Russell.

Mr Awty’s wife, Belinda Awty, told the court her husband left their home about 5pm to get a treat.

When he hadn’t returned by 6pm, Ms Awty said she knew something was wrong.

“I heard a knock on the door at 8pm,” Ms Awty said in a victim impact statement.

“It was the police and what they had to say changed my life forever.

“In my head he only went around the corner … I cried myself to sleep too many times to count,” Ms Awty said.

Mr Awty suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a Melbourne hospital where he died about a week later.

Ms Awty told the court she suffered severe depression because she was unable to visit her husband in hospital due to Covid restrictions at the time.

Maxwell Awty was killed in a car crash.

Ms Awty had to be moved to a nursing home the day after the crash, the court head.

“My new home is a nursing home spending time with strangers in a dementia ward with no familiar face in sight,” she said.

“I’ll never be cared for the way Maxie cared for me with his love and compassion”.

“Life without my soulmate is heartbreaking, he was the love of my life and I’m still mourning the loss of this wonderful man that was taken away from me.”

Crown Prosecutor Richard Pirrie said in the lead-up to the crash Wangman, 36, and Russell, 37, were “street racing” on Melbourne Road.

He said a witness saw smoke from Wangman’s car as he was “pumping the accelerator” and racing Russell.

Street racer Damian Wangman. Picture: Facebook

The court heard Russell responded immediately and accelerated to keep up with Wangman.

Another witness said he saw “two vehicles absolutely fly past me … it happened so quickly”.

A security guard who heard the pair driving, said it sounded like one car was trying to outdo the other car.

At 5.21pm Mr Awty entered Melbourne Rd from Surrey Street, and almost immediately, Wangman’s car crashed into his car, the court heard.

The matter will be mentioned in court again on November 2, with sentencing to be determined at a later date.

Originally published as Damian Wangman, Tyson Russell plead guilty over fatal street crash