Driver accused of causing deadly Baulkham Hills crash fled to his mother’s house

The driver accused of causing a deadly hit-and-run multi-vehicle crash that left a 12-year-old boy dead allegedly fled the scene on foot and arrived at his mother’s house seven hours later covered in blood. 

John Pagakis, 34, climbed out of his Holden Commodore and allegedly took off running just moments after slamming into six stationary cars on Windsor Road at Baulkham Hills in Sydney on Saturday evening. 

He showed up at his mother Demetra Pagakis’ home 35km away in Narraweena, in northern Sydney, at around 2am, panting, bleeding, and covered in scratches.  

‘He looked … like he had seen the devil,’ Ms Pagakis told the Daily Telegraph. 

John Pagakis, 34, who is accused of causing a deadly multi-vehicle crash on Saturday, allegedly climbed out of his car and fled the scene on foot

 He showed up at his mum Demetra Pagakis's (pictured) home 35km away in Narraweena, around 2am, panting, bleeding, and covered in scratches. She said her son told her he had been running for hours 

 He showed up at his mum Demetra Pagakis’s (pictured) home 35km away in Narraweena, around 2am, panting, bleeding, and covered in scratches. She said her son told her he had been running for hours 

 

 

She said Pagakis appeared ‘shaken and scared’ with his trousers rolled up and was bleeding from his ankle. He told her he had been ‘running for hours’.  

Pagakis, however, did not mention the accident and just told his mother that he was tired and needed to sleep. 

‘He said: “Just leave me alone,” and went to bed and hid under the doona,’ Ms Pagakis said. 

Pagakis was arrested at the home just one hour later after police were able to track him down with PolAir and dog units. He had left his mobile phone and house keys at the scene.  

The tradesman was reportedly on his way to meet his girlfriend in Bossley Park west of Sydney.  

He was charged with 10 offences including dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop after a fatal crash and speeding more than 45km/h over the limit.

During his first appearance at Paramatta Bail Court on Sunday, Pagakis did not apply for bail but it was formally refused. 

He is expected to appear in court again on Monday. 

The tradesman is accused of causing the fatal crash after exiting the M2 at high speed around 7pm that evening. 

A 12-year-old boy in a Holden Captiva was pronounced dead at the scene, while his mother, 36, and five-year-old sister were admitted to the hospital in critical condition. 

They are now said to be in serious but stable condition.  

The boy’s 38-year-old father, who had been driving, was not injured in the crash, but was taken to hospital for assessment. 

John Pagakis (pictured), 34, was charged with 10 offences ncluding dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop after a fatal crash and speeding more than 45 km/h over the limit

John Pagakis (pictured), 34, was charged with 10 offences ncluding dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop after a fatal crash and speeding more than 45 km/h over the limit

A 12-year-old boy, who was sitting in the back seat of a Holden Captiva, was pronounced dead at the scene. His five-year-old sister is in a critical but stable condition in hospital (pictured together)

A 12-year-old boy, who was sitting in the back seat of a Holden Captiva, was pronounced dead at the scene. His five-year-old sister is in a critical but stable condition in hospital (pictured together)

The man was heard screaming ‘my son, my son’ when he learned the 12-year-old did not survive, according to reports. 

Rebecca Simpson, who was a witness at the scene, described the father’s emotional turmoil following the crash. 

‘He was in hysterics, he was screaming about his son,’ she told Nine News.

Another witness, Brett Simpson said: ‘The first thing I saw, the car in my rear-view mirror off the ground and I heard the crash obviously, next thing and then it was just chaos’. 

Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Kernin Lambert described the scene as ‘absolutely horrific’. 

‘We have had to cut five people out of their vehicles,’ he told The Daily Telegraph. 

‘It was an extremely severe collision. People are fighting for their lives. We have been trying to keep people alive.’

A witness who arrived at the scene after hearing the helicopters flying over his house told Seven News there was ‘commotion everywhere’.

A total of six people were injured in the collision (pictured) 

A total of six people were injured in the collision (pictured) 

Medical teams rushed to the scene at about 7.15pm with 10 emergency crews and two helicopters in attendance

Medical teams rushed to the scene at about 7.15pm with 10 emergency crews and two helicopters in attendance

The driver of a Holden Commodore collided with several cars before allegedly fleeing the scene

The driver of a Holden Commodore collided with several cars before allegedly fleeing the scene

‘This one car probably got hit every angle of the car,’ he said. 

‘It was too hard to see cause there were so many ambulances and fire brigades and they began to put tarps up’.   

A total of six people were injured in the collision.

The driver of a Toyota Corolla, a 65-year-old man, and his female passenger, 58, were also taken to hospital for treatment for minor injuries.

The occupants of the other four cars were uninjured, but taken to Westmead for mandatory testing before being discharged. 

Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk