News Service from House Harris

Vic: Speeding driver drove through crossing, killing man: court

MELBOURNE, Feb 10 AAP - A driver was travelling up to 40km/h over the speed limit when he hit and killed a Melbourne man at a pedestrian crossing, a court has heard.

Damien Cooper was thrown into the air and killed as he crossed Lygon Street in Carlton about 3.30am on January 20, 2007.

Om (Om) Paranort, 25, of Brunswick East, was driving up to 100km/h in a 60km/h zone when he hit Cooper, the Melbourne County Court heard during the first day of his trial.

He has pleaded not guilty to culpable driving.

Crown prosecutor Susan Borg said witnesses saw and heard Paranort accelerate into the Lygon and Elgin Street intersection where he hit Mr Cooper.

Ms Borg said there were no skid marks, suggesting he made little or no effort to brake.

She said witnesses would say the car was speeding before the crash and it tooted its horn before the crossing but didn't slow down.

Ms Borg said Mr Cooper, 26, of Thornbury and a friend were at, or very close to, a pedestrian crossing at the time.

Mr Cooper was thrown into the air and flung into a phone box, causing his leg to be severed, the court heard.

Friends were unable to revive him.

Police experts would testify that the extensive car damage meant Paranort would have been travelling at between 80 and 100 km/h before the crash.

Ms Borg said Paranort should have been going at or below 60km/h as he approached a 50km/h zone.

Ms Borg said if Paranort had kept a proper lookout and obeyed traffic and speed signs, he would have had enough time to stop.

The crown alleges Paranort was facing a red light when he entered the intersection, a claim his defence team denies.

Paranort had told police he saw Mr Cooper and his friend cross the road and he braked for a couple of seconds.

The court heard Mr Cooper had been to a celebration and had registered a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.13, more than twice the legal driving limit, but witnesses said he did not appear alcohol-affected.

Defence lawyer David Glynn said at issue was whether his client's driving had been criminally negligent and had caused the crash.

He rejected claims that Paranort had run a red light and said while he was speeding, it was hard to determine how fast.

He said evidence his client had accelerated into the intersection was unconvincing.

The trial continues.