Geelong doctor Xiao Bo Zhang cleared to fly to Singapore despite prosecutor ‘flight risk’ fears

A Geelong doctor who was allegedly behind the fatal Swan Bay crash that claimed the life of a Portarlington woman can fly to Singapore despite fears he may never return.

Xiao Bo Zhang was granted permission to fly to Singapore despite ‘flight risk’ fears.

A Geelong doctor who allegedly killed a woman when he drove through an intersection in Swan Bay can now travel to Singapore despite prosecutors fearing he will not return for his hearing.

Barwon Health doctor Xiao Bo Zhang and his wife were granted permission to fly to Singapore after the Geelong Magistrates Court amended his bail conditions and accepted a $1.5m surety he will return.

Dr Zhang is facing up to 20 years behind bars for charges of fail to give way, dangerous driving causing death, conduct endangering life and culpable driving stemming from the March 2022 incident.

The doctor, who has also worked at St John of God Hospital, was travelling eastbound on Swan Bay Rd when he allegedly drove through the intersection and collided with a car.

The alleged crash killed Portarlington woman Rachel Watts.

Police say Dr Zhang hit a second car and injured a man and his four-year-old son when their car rolled backwards and flipped onto its roof.

Prosecution will argue in June 2023 that Dr Zhang “failed unjustifiably and to a gross degree to observe the standards of care which a reasonable person would have observed in all the circumstances”.

This included by allegedly failing to “heed any of the numerous warning signs” in the 419 metres before the intersection.

Rachel Watts was killed in the March 2022 Swan Bay crash. Picture: Supplied.

On behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, barrister Dr Jason Harkness appealed the decision in the Supreme Court by arguing Dr Zhang is a “flight risk” who may not return to Australia.

Dr Harkness said Dr Zhang was facing the prospect of a prison term which was “likely to be emotionally tumultuous and overwhelming”.

“That he may have a desire to escape the situation altogether by leaving the country … is an obvious concern,” Dr Harkness said.

President Emerton said this was “unfounded and speculative”.

“The prospect of him deciding to flee the jurisdiction and spend the rest of his life ‘on the run’ is faint,” President Emerton said.

In support of changing his bail conditions, Dr Zhang argued there was a “reasonable possibility either the serious charges against him will be discharged or he will be acquitted of them”.

He said the prosecutor’s case did not involve allegations of speeding or erratic driving, substance abuse or a mobile phone, so it is likely he would be given a non-custodial sentence if found guilty.

Dr Zhang added he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since the accident and needed to be with his wife.

In Dr Zhang’s support, his wife said he had become a “completely different person” and their “whole life changed” but she cannot risk losing her job in Singapore or leaving her husband alone in Australia.

Dr Zhang will face the Supreme Court in June this year.

Originally published as Geelong doctor Xiao Bo Zhang cleared to fly to Singapore despite prosecutor ‘flight risk’ fears