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A tragic collision occurred when a suspended driver veered his Mercedes-Benz AMG onto the wrong side of the road, traveling at double the 50 km/h speed limit. This reckless act led to a head-on crash with another vehicle carrying two siblings.
Tragically, Alina Kauffman, 24, and her 15-year-old brother, Ernesto Salazar, lost their lives instantly in the devastating accident. Rather than offering assistance, the driver, Kokozian, chose to flee the scene.
His focus was not on the lives lost but on the damage to his uninsured luxury car. Kokozian lamented the loss of his flipped vehicle, valued at $300,000, instead of the tragedy he had caused.
In a message reflecting his dire situation, he acknowledged, “I’m getting locked up for long.” Despite the gravity of the situation, his primary concern remained the monetary loss of his new car, disregarding the lives of the siblings as he hastily departed the scene.
He had been more worried about the money he lost by crashing his brand-new car than the well-being of the occupants of the other car, which he walked past as he left the scene.
“His failure to stop and assist can only be described as serious and callous,” Arnott said.
“There is no doubt that self-preservation and self-interest were key factors in his decision to flee the scene.”
While Kokozian had shown no remorse in the aftermath of the crash, the judge found he now experienced “overwhelming guilt”.
He was jailed for nine years, with a minimum of six years and six months.
The victim’s mother looked upset as the decision was handed down.
Angelina Kauffman has continuously advocated for justice for her two children in the lengthy legal process.
Kauffman was overcome with emotion when she exited the courthouse, wearing a jumper bearing a photo of her children.
“There is no justice,” she said through sobs.
“My kids’ lives mean nothing to the court.”
She gathered more than 20,000 signatures on a petition requesting that the NSW Parliament consider increasing the maximum penalties for serious road crimes.
A new vehicular manslaughter offence should not be introduced because it’s unnecessary and could cause confusion, the review determined.
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