Children saw driver run red light before hitting 10yo in Melbourne crash, court told

Author : mamun Published: January 07, 2019

Updated

January 08, 2019 14:47:51

Photo:
Jack Power was crossing at traffic lights when he was struck. (Supplied)

A driver accused of running a red light and killing a 10-year-old boy who was crossing a road in Melbourne’s east has faced court.

Key points:

The victim’s sister and friend allegedly witnessed the driver run a red light
Magistrate Reynolds refused to allow the child witnesses to be cross-examined
Zhou Lu will face a committal hearing in July

Zhou Lu is alleged to have hit Jack Power with his Toyota Hiace van as the boy was crossing at the traffic lights at Springfield Road, Blackburn North, in August last year.

Mr Lu, 46, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death.

Jack, from Croydon, died in hospital the day after the collision.

His godmother and grandmother were in court for Mr Lu’s hearing before Magistrate Duncan Reynolds in Melbourne today.

Magistrate Reynolds heard that the only witnesses who allegedly saw Mr Lu run the red light were Jack’s six-year-old sister and a 13-year-old friend.

Photo:
Jack Power died in hospital the day after the collision. (Supplied)

The prosecution objected to them being cross-examined by lawyers for Mr Lu at an upcoming committal hearing.

Another witness heard the collision and has described the scene immediately afterwards, and a police crash reconstruction expert has also given evidence, the prosecution said.

VicRoads has also provided a report to prosecutors about when the traffic lights turned red.

One child was heard to say words to the effect of “we did nothing wrong, it was green”.

Magistrate Reynolds declined the application to cross-examine the children, but allowed Mr Lu’s lawyers to question the evidence provided by witnesses who heard the children immediately after the incident.

Mr Lu’s bail was extended, and he has been allowed to drive.

He will face a committal hearing in July.

Outside court, Jack’s grandmother Lyn Kosmer, who Jack used to call “Nanna”, said she was relieved that the children did not have to appear in court.

She said the family was still reeling from Jack’s death.

“Every single day we miss him dreadfully,” Ms Kosmer said.

Topics:

road,

accidents,

disasters-and-accidents,

courts-and-trials,

law-crime-and-justice,

croydon-3136,