Joondalup Justice Complex.
Camera IconJoondalup Justice Complex. Credit: Supplied/Emma Reeves

Joondalup Magistrates Court: woman to be sentenced over Girrawheen careless driving death

Mark DonaldsonWanneroo Times

A DARCH mother is due to be sentenced tomorrow for causing a car crash in Girrawheen last year that led to the death of a 90-year-old man more than three weeks after the incident.

Yanfang Yu faced Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday, pleading guilty to driving carelessly and fatally injuring Wasyl Czwerenczuk on September 2.

Her sentencing was delayed after Magistrate Gregory Benn asked Mr Czwerenczuk’s family, who were at the hearing, to prepare a victim impact statement over the weekend.

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Yu, who has a four-year-old daughter, cried throughout proceedings, with her lawyer saying she had not been sleeping well since the offence, which happened on her birthday.

Yu’s lawyer said her birthday would now always be a reminder of the tragedy, to which Mr Benn replied: “Well, the victim’s not going to have any more birthdays is he?”.

The police prosecutor told the court Yu, an accountant, was driving on Marangaroo Drive about 11am and attempted to turn right on to Girrawheen Avenue.

She did not see the oncoming vehicle driven by Mr Czwerenczuk and crossed into his path, causing the vehicles to collide.

The prosecutor said the victim was in good health for a 90-year-old man.

He died from complications related to the crash on September 27.

Yu’s lawyer said his client had sat with Mr Czwerenczuk after the collision and he was talking “perfectly fine”. He said there were no “observable injuries” sustained.

“Ms Yu was crying and apologising and asked if the victim was OK,” he said.

He said the victim deteriorated in the weeks after the incident and it was discovered he had spinal damage and internal injuries.

He asked for a spent conviction given Yu’s clean history and the effect a criminal record could have on her employment.