A man allegedly responsible for the deaths of two people in a fatal collision on the Anzac Bridge earlier this month was detained by police days earlier for speeding while overtaking, a court has heard.
Adeeb Sukkar, 41, appeared via video link at Sydney Downing Center Court on Monday to ask for release from prison after serving two weeks on remand.
Police allege he was behind the wheel of a silver Holden Commodore when he crashed into a parked car near the Western Distributor exit.
Police believe Anya Pok Yin Lam, 25, and Hongyi Zhang, 38, parked their cars on the bridge to exchange details after a minor crash on December 2.
Sukkar was allegedly pulled over for speeding days before the fatal Anzac Bridge crash
They were on the side of the road just before midnight when one of their stationary cars was hit.
The stationary car then hit the Lidcombe woman and Hurstville man as they stood in the road, killing them both.
The force of the impact also pushed one of the parked cars into a third lane, where police said it collided with a taxi driven by a 24-year-old man.
Mr Sukkar was treated for his injuries at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and underwent a mandatory drug and alcohol test early Saturday morning. The court heard that blood and urine tests detected no alcohol or drugs in his system.
Anya Pok Yin Lam and Hongyi Zhang had stopped to exchange details when a third car drove into them
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Police claim he was driving dangerously at the time of the fatal accident on one of Sydney’s busiest roads.
The 41-year-old faces two counts of dangerous driving resulting in death and negligent driving resulting in death.
On Monday, the court heard that Mr. Sukkar had been detained by the police for the same dangerous manner of driving just days before the fatal collision at the same location.
A crash investigator told the court that CCTV footage showed the 41-year-old driving over the bridge at 98 km/h through the 60 km/h zone.
He said that police were chasing Mr Sukkar, traveling at 110 km/h, and detained him because of “an overtaking maneuver performed”.
The driver had reportedly been speeding when he overtook a car and changed lanes, which matched his alleged driving behavior on the day of the fatal accident when he failed to see the parked cars.
“It’s exactly the same conditions in the same location,” the senior officer said.
Mr Sukkar was cautioned for his speed but was not charged for his driving on November 22. The court heard that police are still investigating the incident and charges may be filed.
“Within a few days he resumed his driving style,” the prosecutor said.
A taxi was also involved in the accident, police said. The man and woman, who were standing by the road, died on the spot. Image: OnScene Bondi
The court heard the 41-year-old was out on bail on drug possession charges at the time of the fatal collision on Anzac Bridge earlier this month.
Police claim they caught the Burwood resident at 10:45 a.m. on Sept. 2 at 10:45 a.m. in Redfern who supplied less than 10g of meth. He also allegedly had 0.75 g of the drug and $950 in his possession when he was arrested.
Court documents show he faces two counts of supplying meth, one count of possession of meth, and dealing with $950 that police suspect is the proceeds of a felony.
Aside from the active charges, the court heard that Mr. Sukkar had no criminal record.
“The strength of the prosecution’s case is overwhelming,” said police prosecutor Kerry-Ann McKinnon.
Anzac Bridge, in Sydney’s inner west, was the site of the fatal incident
She explained that it was ‘inevitable’ that Mr Sukkar would serve a full prison sentence for the charges if convicted.
“He took the lives of two people because of his actions and his inaction,” Ms McKinnon argued.
Magistrate Rodney Brender agreed that the prosecution was strong and that Mr. Sukkar risked jail time.
However, he determined that the risk of recidivism could be reduced by ensuring that the Burwood resident was not in the driver’s seat of a car.
“If he’s not driving, the community should be pretty safe,” the magistrate said.
“It’s very important that he stays off the road.”
Mr Sukkar was granted bail on terms that ensure that he lives at home and reports to the police three times a week.