‘Punching the brakes’: Learner driver’s bold confessions after Dingley Village hit-run killing
An L-Plater driving erratically when he dragged a man under his car made a series of stark confessions to police afterwards.
A learner driver who dragged a man 60m under his car before leaving him to die during a shocking hit and run told police he was “punching the brakes” and driving as fast as he could.
Floyd Hennessy, 22, appeared before Justice Mandy Fox in Victoria’s Supreme Court on Thursday where prosecutors told the court the accused drove “erratically” during the deadly incident.
Hennessy was behind the wheel of a Holden Commodore when he ran down and killed Peter Stojanovic at Dingley Village in December 2019.
He earlier pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death.
On Thursday Crown prosecutor Justin Lewis told the court Hennessy made a number of stark confessions to police including that he was “punching his brakes on and off” in a desperate attempt to shake Mr Stojanovic off the roof of his car.
He also told police he was going “as fast as he could”.
In December 2019 Hennessy and his mate Brandon Cummings, 20, travelled to Dingley Village in the early hours of the morning where they started “sussing” out vehicles in the hope of stealing tools when Mr Stojanovic spotted them on a home security camera and intervened.
Mr Stojanovic jumped onto the car in an effort to stop Hennessy from driving off, but he and Cummings sped off with the deceased still attached to the roof.
Prosecutors submitted that Hennessy was driving “rapidly” and “erratically” while stopping and starting the vehicle.
Cummings told his mate to “go, go, go” and to “shake the car” to which Hennessy responded by doing so, the court was told.
Hennessy reversed the car “rapidly” backwards for about 300m while Mr Stojanovic clung to the roof.
Mr Stojanovic eventually fell and was dragged under the car for 60m, leaving a trail of blood and clothing.
It is unclear how long it took for the two accused to notice he was under the vehicle, prosecutors said.
The court was also told that Hennessy hid the car in the bushes and the pair caught a rideshare home.
Passers-by called authorities after spotting Mr Stojanovic’s body on the side of the road in the early hours of the morning.
Hennessy later handed himself into police and confessed to his crimes.
His lawyer Tass Antos told the Supreme Court Hennessy recognised the severity of his actions caused the death of Mr Stojanovic and that itself was a significant deterrent.
“That (thought) serves as a stark reminder of that dark period in his life,” he told the court.
Mr Antos submitted that while he “didn’t want to blame the victim” Mr Stojanovic jumped on top of the car which caused Hennessy to “panic” and respond the way he did.
He also claimed Hennessy, who has a two-year-old son, feared Mr Stojanovic was armed.
Though Justice Fox dismissed those claims and said Hennessy never raised those concerns during his police interview.
Justice Fox said Cummings and Hennessy were solely responsible for their conduct.
Cummings earlier pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering life.
Hennessy’s matter will return to court on May 16 for sentencing.