Vic: Drunk driver jailed over crash that killed young passenger

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2006
Vic: Drunk driver jailed over crash that killed young passenger

By Mariza Fiamengo

MELBOURNE, Feb 15 AAP - A drunk driver who lost control of his car in a crash that
killed one of his passengers and left another with brain damage has been sentenced to
at least four-and-a-half years' jail.

Dion Anthony Griffiths, 27, of Wheelers Hill in Melbourne, had pleaded guilty to culpable
driving and negligently causing serious injury.

He was sentenced at the Victorian County Court to a maximum jail term of six-and-a-half years.

The court was told the carpenter was at least three times over the blood-alcohol limit
when he drove three friends into the city and crashed after midnight on March 20, 2004.

The car was travelling at up to 110kph when he lost control on a bend on the Yarra
Boulevard in Burnley and slammed into a tree, the court was told.

Back-seat passenger Michelle Fors, 20, died shortly after the crash and another back-seat
passenger Joshua Young, now 22, suffered serious injuries and brain damage.

Judge Tom Wodak said Ms Fors would have celebrated her 21st birthday less than three
months after the collision and was close to completing her university studies.

He said that despite her profound loss, Ms Fors's mother, Denise, had forgiven Griffiths.

However, in her victim's impact statement, Denise Fors had a message for Griffiths
and other young drivers.

"Dion and other young and `indestructible' drivers need to know that they are responsible
for the choices they make," she said.

Since the accident, Mr Young has not worked and suffers hand tremors, short and long-term
memory loss, confusion, concentration difficulties, and walks with an altered gait, the
court heard.

Judge Wodak said in sentencing Griffiths that he took into account the man's age, his
remorse and good prospects for rehabilitation.

However, he said Griffiths did not seem to have learnt from a previous conviction for
careless driving.

AAP mf/dk/jm/sp

KEYWORD: GRIFFITHS NIGHTLEAD

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