John Pagakis, 35, was speeding in excess of 200km/h just moments before causing a fatal crash, a court has heard
A hit-and-run driver was speeding up to 210km/h moments before his car became airborne and ploughed through an intersection, killing a young boy, a court has heard.
John Pagakis, 35, was captured on CCTV camera flying past other cars along the M2 Motorway moments before he lost control of his Holden Commodore and crashed into six cars at Baulkham Hills, in north Sydney, on March 2 last year.
A 12-year-old boy was killed instantly and six people were injured, but Pagakis managed to crawl from the wreckage of his vehicle and flee the scene on foot.
Over the next seven hours he traveled 30 kilometres north-east, before arriving at his mother’s house at Narraweena at 2am.
During Pagakis’ sentencing hearing on Friday, the Parramatta District Court heard from a crash expert who alleged the labourer was going twice as fast as other cars in the 100km/h zone that evening.
Pagakis crashed into six cars, killing a 12-year-old boy who was driving with his parents and his younger sister. In the moments after the crash, the father of the boy – who cannot be identified – could be heard screaming: ‘My son, my son’
Pagakis was exiting the M2 around 7pm when he lost control of his vehicle and it flew through the air before ploughing into six cars (pictured), critically injuring the boy in a Holden Captiva
NSW Police crash reconstructionist Gavin Lennon told the court he had studied the footage from before and at the time of the accident, and believed Pagakis was speeding ‘in excess’ of 200km/h.
He said that as Pagakis took the M2 off-ramp onto Windsor Road at Baulkham Hills he slammed on his brakes, but it was not enough to stop him.
The last speed he could accurately determine Pagakis to be doing before the crash was 138km/h.
Pagakis pleaded guilty in the NSW Local Court last year to five charges relating to the crash, including aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death.
CCTV footage was played in court that showed Pagakis’ white Holden Commodore speeding past other vehicles along the M2, shortly after 7pm on March 2, 2019.
As he took the M2 off-ramp he was unable to stop and crossed two lanes of traffic before ploughing into six cars as they waited to turn right at a red light.
Pagakis’ white car could be seen flying through the air following the crash, but after just 15 seconds he managed to emerge from the wreckage.
Never stopping to check on his innocent victims, he then proceeded on foot along Windsor Road, passing a McDonald’s restaurant before walking into a Coles service station.
Pagakis was driving across Sydney to visit his girlfriend Stella (pictured) when the horror crash occurred. She told Daily Mail Australia the pair were planning to go out for dinner but when he never arrived she called his phone repeatedly, until finally a police officer answered about 3am
Pagakis fled the Baulkham Hills area around 7pm on Saturday, March 2 2019, leaving behind his mobile phone and keys, and arrived at Narraweena seven hours later
Pagakis was supported in court by members of his family, while the parents of his young victim also sat in on proceedings
Police finally tracked down Pagakis at his mother Demtra’s house in Narraweena, on Sydney’s north shore, about 3am the next morning where he was asleep on the floor of a bedroom.
Pagakis was driving across Sydney to visit his girlfriend Stella at the time of the fatal crash.
The pair had been planning to go out for dinner, but when Pagakis never arrived she repeatedly called his mobile phone until finally someone answered – a police officer.
A total of six people were injured in the crash including the dead boy’s mother, 36, and his five-year-old sister.
When his mother awoke from a coma days later she had to be told the tragic news.
The boy’s 38-year-old father, who had been driving but was not injured in the crash, and was heard screaming ‘my son, my son’ at the scene.
At the time, the government road worker’s mother Demetra said while she was sad for the dead boy’s family, ‘accidents happen every day’.
A total of six people were injured in the crash including the boy’s five-year-old sister and mum, who was told the tragic news when she awoke from a coma days later
Pagakis’ mother Demetra (pictured) said while she was sad for the victim’s family, ‘accidents happen every day’
‘I’m not saying this child deserved to be hurt, but these sorts of accidents happen every day. People die on the road all the time,’ Mrs Pagakis said.
‘John should have spoken up to the police. He was driving all the way out to Bossley Park to see his girlfriend. He was in a good mood, he was going to see his beautiful girlfriend – he wouldn’t have caused an accident deliberately,’ she said.
‘I wish he didn’t leave, I wish he stayed in his car until the police arrive.
‘I’m so sorry that a little boy was killed, I can’t believe that my son could cause an accident like that. We’re all feeling sick to our stomach.’