Christopher Joannidis sentenced to over 5 years for fatal crash

·

A driver has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison after ignoring a warning about a dangerous intersection and causing a crash that killed five people in Victoria.

In April 2023, Christopher Joannidis, 31, was warned by two police officers about the hazardous roads in Strathmerton, where nine people had already died in the past 18 months.

Despite the warning, Joannidis proceeded to cross three rumble strips and ignore give-way signs, driving his Mercedes Benz into a Nissan Navara ute, which was then struck by a truck.

The crash resulted in the deaths of 62-year-old Deborah Markey, her dog Sophie, and four farm workers from Taiwan and Hong Kong: Zhi-Yao Chen, Pin-Yu Wang, Wai Yan Lam and Hsin-Yu Chen.

Photo: Joel Carrett / AAP Photos.

Joannidis, who pleaded guilty to five counts of dangerous driving causing death, had his bail revoked in November 2024.

His defence argued he should not be jailed due to psychiatric conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, prosecutor Daniel Porceddu said Joannidis could manage his condition with medication, which he had refused to take.

Judge Gavan Meredith described the crash as “horrific” and imposed a maximum five-and-a-half-year sentence, taking into account Joannidis’ remorse and rehabilitation prospects.

Joannidis will be eligible for parole after serving at least three years.

Source: 9 News.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Acclaimed Greek film ‘Stelios’ to have Australian premiere in April

The Greek Festival of Sydney has announced the Australian premiere of the highly anticipated Greek film 'Stelios' on April 23, 2025.

Oakleigh Grammar inducts its 2025 student leaders

Oakleigh Grammar in Melbourne has inducted its 2025 School leaders from the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools.

SA Full Court ends dispute over teacher Dimosthenis Kourlas’ registration denial

The Supreme Court of South Australia’s Full Court has ruled on a dispute involving teaching graduate Dimosthenis Dillon Kourlas.

Peter V’landys urges Donald Trump to attend NRL Las Vegas showcase

NRL chief Peter V’landys has publicly invited US President Donald Trump to attend rugby league’s season-opening event in Las Vegas.

South Melbourne FC announces Directed as Major Sponsor in landmark partnership

Directed is the major sponsor of South Melbourne FC, aligning two organisations driven by innovation and a sense of community.

You May Also Like

Aphrodite’s Breath: Susan Johnson’s new novel is an ode to Kythera

Aphrodite's Breath: Susan Johnson's new novel is an ode to the Greek island of Kythera and the Greek idea of kefi.

NSW Labor to invest $17.9 million to support community languages in schools

NSW Labor has announced it will invest an additional $17.9 million into the NSW Community Languages Schools Program.

Greek Australian politicians on why SA Parliament has the worst female MP representation in Australia

A report by the South Australian Electoral Commission found that SA’s Parliament has the worst female representation in Australia.