A man who was sentenced to more than nine years in prison for a series of driving offences, including a fatal collision with a pedestrian, has had his appeal against the length of his sentence rejected.
Steven Vasilevski pleaded guilty in November, 2016 to nine offences which occurred around Deer Park in January 2015. He was sentenced in the County Court to nine years and seven months behind bars.
The court heard that on January 26, 2015, Vasilevski drove erratically down Ballarat Road and Station Road in Deer Park, colliding with stationary vehicles before proceeding to Derrimut Village, where he was observed asleep at the wheel while parked in the middle of the road.
He was later arrested by police after they found him behind the wheel and texting with a phone in each hand. He returned a negative breath test and later refused to undertake a formal drug test.
After his release from the police station he stole a forklift from a nearby Coles, driving it about eight kilometres along Buckley Street, Essendon, and Milleara Road, Keilor East, where he was intercepted by police. He was questioned, but released two hours later.
The next day, Vasilevski drove through a red light on Taylors Road, Delahey, hitting two teenagers who were crossing at the lights.
Vasilevski did not stop to help. One of the victims died at the scene from a head trauma, while the other sustained an acquired brain injury, a skull fracture, brain bruising, multiple arm breaks and several fractured vertebrae.
Vasilevski wished to appeal against the severity of the sentence, however Supreme Court justices Phillip Priest and Joseph Santamaria said any appeal would be “futile”.
“The [County Court] judge described the applicant’s offending … as ‘despicable’. We agree.
“Her Honour said that the applicant ‘behaved in a callous manner having no regard for the wellbeing of any person that [he] struck’. Once more, we agree.”
Vasilevski will be eligible for parole after seven years and six months.
