A distraught mother has faced her daughter’s killer in court after a horror car crash stole her promising young life.
Lisa Di Donato, 27, was hit on February 15 while waiting at traffic lights on her way home from yoga class in Rowville, Victoria.
Driver Jo Lim, 33, who was known to police, smashed his truck into the side of her Mitsubishi Lancer high on ice, killing her instantly.
Lim faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court this month where he pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death, driving while disqualified, committing an indictable offence on bail, and possessing ice and cannabis, the Herald Sun reported.
Lisa Di Donato (right), 27, was hit on February 15 while waiting at traffic lights on her way home from yoga class in Rowville, Victoria
Driver Jo Lim, who was known to police, smashed his truck into the side of her Mitsubishi Lancer, killing her instantly. Pictured: The scene of the crash
Family and friends of the deceased attended the court room to hear Lim plead his responsibility.
‘It was important for us to see his face, to see the person who killed our daughter, the person who has destroyed our lives through his negligent behaviour and poor decision-making,’ Elena Di Donato, Lisa’s mother, said.
Mrs Di Donato said the accused had no respect for the law or anyone around him as he continued to drive unlicensed and on drugs.
She has been fighting for justice since February, arguing that actions must face consequences.
‘He has to be held accountable for what he has done — there has to be justice,’ she said.
Mrs Di Donato claims that Lim chose to drive while on drugs and with a lack of sleep.
‘The penalty should be as harsh as possible because of his past with drugs, driving recklessly and unlicensed, as well as repeatedly breaking the law and breaching his bail terms.’
In the past ten years, the brazen offender had pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges mostly related to traffic and drug offences.
In November 2008, Lim was charged $450 for his first conviction as he chose to drive while suspended.
In October 2016, he breached his community correction order when he was caught driving.
Elena Di Donato, mother of the deceased, is demanding that justice be served after her daughter (right) was killed by man with more than 50 drug and traffic related charges
Family and friends of Pharmacist Miss Di Donato (left) attended court at the beginning of the month to see Lim plead guilty and take responsibility for his actions
He pleaded guilty in court and spent two days in jail.
Lim had an appalling record of traffic offences as court records reveal he often drove unlicensed and on drugs as well as driving recklessly and at dangerous speeds.
Before Miss Di Donato was killed, he was ordered to attend a drug and alcohol program.
Three weeks before the deadly accident, Lim was released on bail from charges that included: driving while disqualified, car theft, drug driving and breaching bail.
The magistrate put him on the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP).
In the context of the February crash, Victoria police have warned that deaths involving drug-driving were far too common on the state’s roads.
Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said: ‘Lisa is sadly one of the human faces of road trauma.’
Lim has been remanded and will appear in court in October for a pre-sentence hearing.
Lim has been remanded and will appear in court in October for a pre-sentence hearing after the death of Mis Di Donato (pictured, right)
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