A dangerous driver with a terrible driving record who ran a red light in a stolen car, killed a cyclist, and then set the vehicle on fire has been sentenced to nearly eight years in prison.
Peter Koutsogiannakis was found guilty by a jury of dangerous driving causing death and failing to render assistance after a crash. He appeared in the County Court on Monday, July 22 for sentencing.
The 30-year-old received a sentence of seven years and 10 months, with a minimum non-parole period of five years and three months.
Koutsogiannakis caused the death of 58-year-old cyclist Makaro Manapori at the intersection of Pound Rd and Hallam Rd in Hampton Park on January 6, 2022.
Despite being a disqualified driver, Koutsogiannakis did not stop after the crash. Instead, he drove another 20km to Brentwood Reserve on Maylands Crescent in Glen Waverley, where he set the stolen Holden Cruze—taken from an apartment’s underground carpark in Doncaster—on fire and fled the scene.
Manapori died at the scene, and his bike was found 48 meters away.
Judge Frances Hogan stated that Koutsogiannakis was seen driving at an estimated 100km/h shortly before the crash and ran the red light 14 seconds after it had turned red.
The impact was so severe that Manapori was thrown approximately 45 meters from his bike and landed on his back. Motorists stopped to help, but Manapori showed no signs of life and died at the scene. A post-mortem revealed he died from a fractured spine caused by the collision.
After an appeal for information, Koutsogiannakis’ lawyer contacted the police. Despite attending the Melbourne West police station, Koutsogiannakis contested the charges and went to trial.
Judge Hogan noted that when officers approached him at the station, Koutsogiannakis stood up, raised his hands as if surrendering, and said, “I couldn’t live with myself.” When asked for clarification, he mentioned the crash and said he had wanted to come to the police station the night before.
Judge Hogan highlighted Koutsogiannakis’ extensive criminal history for driving and dishonesty offences, including stealing number plates, dating back to 2013.
Less than three weeks after causing Manapori’s death, Koutsogiannakis committed further driving offences, making his eventual arrest necessary for public safety.
“It was only a matter of time before you killed someone, given your scant regard for the law. Within a short time of causing his death, you again offended. This would be likely to shock the conscience of members of the community,” Judge Hogan said.
She described Koutsogiannakis’ driving on the day of the crash as “selfish and immature” and said he displayed a sense of entitlement regarding dishonesty and road safety.
Koutsogiannakis has been disqualified from obtaining a driver’s license for 10 years.
Source: The Herald Sun.
