Hit/Run driver gaoled

[Joeblake]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-28/h ... th/4228300

Joe

[Pravda]

Something a bit longer from The West.

Man jailed for fatal cyclist hit-run
STAFF REPORTERS, The West Australian
August 28, 2012, 12:00 pm
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Ross Thomas Murray arrives at the Perth District Court today for sentencing. Picture: Lincoln Baker/The West Australian
A Perth man whose dangerous and drunken driving claimed the life of popular City Beach cyclist Tim Anderson, 26, in Cottesloe in March this year has been sentenced to five years and three months in jail.

Ross Thomas Murray, 28, pleaded guilty during his first appearance in Perth Magistrate’s Court in April to aggravated dangerous driving causing death and failure to stop.

Murray was sentenced in the District Court today after changes to traffic laws dictated cases of dangerous driving causing death must be dealt with in the higher court.

The 28-year-old from Watermans Bay will be eligible for parole after serving three years and three months in jail.

Family and friends of Mr Anderson packed the courtroom this morning, as they had in April when they came face to face with the man responsible for the death of the chemical engineer.

The cyclist was riding home after training for the Albany-to-Perth charity event Ride for Youth about 8pm on March 8 when he was struck from behind on Curtin Avenue in Cottesloe by Murray in a Toyota Camry.

Mr Anderson hit the windscreen and was dragged with his bicycle for about 50m along the road.

Murray fled the scene and abandoned his heavily damaged car just over 1km from where Mr Anderson lay dying.

He was apprehended by police soon after. Mr Anderson died in Fremantle Hospital a few hours later.

The Tim Anderson Scholarship was established in memory of Mr Anderson to help young West Australians reach their education goals.

Soon after Mr Anderson’s death, his parents paid tribute to their high-achieving son, saying he still had much more to offer but nothing they said or did would bring him back.

[find_bruce]

If the driver had any shred of humanity then his guilt over killing a person in these circumstances would be more punishment that the gaol time. Of course if he had such humanity he would not have driven drunk & would have stopped after a cyclist was hit by his windscreen & dragged for 50 m.

A head sentence of 5 years and 3 months with a non-parole period of 3 years & 3 months is slightly less than the similar case in NSW of WW v R [2012] NSWCCA 165 where the driver had a head sentence of 8 years and a non-parole period of 5 years.

[eldavo]

Significantly more than the injustice of Adelaide's hit-and-run lawyer Eugene McGee receiving a $3100 fine and 12 month license suspension.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapunda_Ro ... Commission
http://www.woj.com.au/

Your rights only extend as far as you have money to pay lawyers to defend them.

[skcycle]

Does anyone know what happened to that moron that pulled in front of a large pack of fast cyclists (including pros) in Sydney on South Dowling Street a couple of years ago?

[find_bruce]

Magistrate held the level of negligence was low, & fined him $1,200 after finding him guilty of failing to stay within his lane, negligent driving and failing to supply particulars at an accident.

See http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/dri ... 32178.html