Speeding driver's bizarre excuse for not stopping to help after a deadly crash in Adelaide
Bhupinder Singh, 24, faced South Australian District Court on Wednesday charged with one count of aggravated causing death by dangerous driving.
Christine Sandford, 40, was minutes from home in Adelaide 's Windsor Gardens when Singh's Ford Mustang T-boned her vehicle in March 2023. She died at the scene.
She had been on the way home from a nearby service station to get cooking oil when her life was cut short.
Since the crash, Singh had continually denied causing Ms Sandford's death and initially pleaded not guilty.
However, on Wednesday, Singh pleaded guilty and admitted he was driving 45km/h over the speed limit.
Currently free on bail, he was warned by the judge on Wednesday that he will likely be taken into custody following case submissions next week.
The court Singh had been driving at extreme speeds ranging between 150 to 161km/h just moments before the crash, The Advertiser reported.
The prosecution told the court that it was 'clearly the Crown's case' that Singh made no attempt to help Ms Sandford at the scene.
Singh's lawyer told the court his client may not have rendered Ms Sandford's assistance as he was in a state of shock and had lost his turban in the crash, which was equivalent of being 'naked in public'
'He was in a state of shock, as a Sikh, where it's almost like being naked in public, that exacerbated the situation,' his lawyer said
Judge Muscat said it was difficult to understand a person's reaction after such a horrific event, especially since people are often in shock and 'don't know how to react'.
However, the judge added it would not help Singh as he had told police he was travelling at the speed limit when he was questioned after the crash.
Ms Sandford's daughter Taniesha submitted a heartbreaking victim impact statement which was read out on Wednesday.
Taniesha said a huge part of her life was 'ripped away' following her mum's death.
'The weight of her absence is something I struggle to carry every day. I used to feel safe, I am constantly filled with anxiety now that I live with the deep awareness that the people you love can be taken from you in an instant,' she said.
'I constantly think about how she won't help me move into my new home, or stand by my side on my wedding day.
'She won't be here to see my children. They'll never get to meet their grandmother. She is missing from every milestone I imagine sharing with her. I spent my 21st birthday without her.'
Singh will reappear face South Australian District Court next week for further submissions before sentencing.
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