A man accused of causing a major crash that killed a 12-year-old boy and left his two relatives fighting for life, called his girlfriend in the aftermath and told her: ‘Babe, I’m going to jail’.
John Pagakis, 34, has been charged with 10 offences after crashing into six cars as they sat stationary at a red light in Baulkham Hills, north Sydney, on Saturday night.
Police allege Pagakis was travelling at 45km/h over the speed limit when his Holden Commodore became airborne and ploughed into the six vehicles, just after 7pm.
Pagakis fled the scene immediately after the accident and made his way to the home of his mother at Narraweena, 30 kilometres away, where he arrived at 2am.
The alleged killer’s girlfriend told Daily Mail Australia he was on the way to her house when the crash happened and she had only spoken to him briefly after he was taken into police custody on Sunday.
The girlfriend of accused hit-run-driver John Pagakis revealed he called her after the fatal crash and told her: ‘Babe, I’m going to jail’
John Pagakis (left) was formally refused bail during a hearing at Parramatta Local Court Monday morning
‘He called me from the police station and said: “Babe I’m here with the police and I’m going to jail”,’ the woman, who wanted only to be called Stella, said.
‘The only time I’ve seen him is on the news. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him with the police.’
Stella said she called her boyfriend about 7pm and he told her was 30 minutes away from picking her up at her place at Bossley Park, in Sydney’s west.
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.
‘I spoke to the police and they told me Johnny had been in a big crash,’ she said.
‘Then they came over to my house about 9pm and spoke to me. They went through our text messages.
‘I just can’t believe that he was in a crash. He was a very nice guy, a very good driver and always careful. I can’t believe it, I feel so sorry for that poor little boy’s family.’
Pagakis made a brief appearance in Parramatta Local Court on Monday morning to face 10 charges, including dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop after a fatal crash and speeding.
The road worker did not apply bail and it was formally refused.
The 34-year-old has been charged with 10 offences including 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 (pictured) in a Holden Captiva was killed in the crash before Pagakis allegedly ran from the scene
‘He looked … like he had seen the devil,’ Ms Pagakis told the Daily Telegraph.
She said her son 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.
His mobile phone and house keys were found at the scene.
He was reportedly on his way to meet his girlfriend in Bossley Park west of Sydney when he allegedly caused a multi-car pileup.
It is unclear how Pagakis lost control of his car, but his mother told Daily Mail Australia that ‘maybe the steering wheel or his brakes were faulty.’
‘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.’
He showed up at his mum Demetra Pagakis’s (pictured) home 35km away in Narraweena, around 2am, panting, bleeding, and covered in scratches
Pagakis’s mum said her son told her he had been ‘running for hours’ but did not mention the crash
Pagakis fled the Baulkham Hills area around 7pm, leaving behind his mobile phone and keys, and arrived at Narraweena seven hours later
Police said Pagakis was exiting the M2 around 7pm when he hit six cars, critically injuring the passengers of a Holden Captiva.
A 12-year-old boy in the car 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.
The man was heard screaming ‘my son, my son’ when he learned the boy did not survive, according to reports.
Rebecca Simpson, who was a witness at the scene, told Nine News the father ‘was in hysterics.’
The driver (pictured) was charged with 10 offences on Sunday including 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 (pictured together) and his mother are now in serious but stable condition in hospital
Medical teams rushed to the scene at about 7.15pm with 10 emergency crews and two helicopters in attendance. Officials said many passengers had to be ‘cut out’ of their cars
A total of six people were injured in the collision (pictured)
The driver of another car, a 65-year-old man, and his passenger, a 58-year-old woman, were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The occupants of another four cars escaped unhurt but the drivers were taken to hospital for tests.
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’ and said five people had to be ‘cut’ out of their vehicles.
‘It was an extremely severe collision. People are fighting for their lives. We have been trying to keep people alive.’
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