A Sydney teenager has vowed to no longer drive “like an idiot” after a car crash led police to uncover a plethora of alleged driving offences on his dashcam.
Marcellus Otero was arrested in December and faced court for the first time on Tuesday after being hit with nearly 50 driving-related charges.
The case followed reports a silver Subaru BRZ had crashed at Croydon Park, in the city’s inner west, on 12 December following an alleged street race.
Otero’s car was allegedly travelling at 130km/h in a 60km/h zone along Georges River Road before the crash.
Officers reviewed the 19-year-old’s dashcam footage after the crash and allegedly uncovered 48 separate offences from November and December across suburbs spanning Sydney’s north and south-west.
Otero is accused of driving under a suspended provisional licence, doing burnouts in a sports field car park, driving negligently, recklessly or furiously, and driving at more than 45km/h over the speed limit.
At Burwood local court on Tuesday, magistrate Vivien Swain adjourned the case until 23 January when pleas to the various charges will be given.
Otero’s defence lawyer said he had yet to receive the audio of police interviews with his client.
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During those interviews, footage from the dashcam was played to Otero, the court heard.
Outside court, the Greenacre man thanked police for teaching him a lesson about safety on the roads.
“I’ve got to stop driving like an idiot,” he said. “I’m thankful I didn’t hit anyone or anyone got hurt.”
He told reporters he would be pleading guilty to some of the charges.
Otero said the car crash occurred after he swerved to avoid another driver pulling out of her driveway and collided with a pole.
He was left bruised and scratched with soft-tissue injuries, and he said he was grateful he had not been more seriously wounded in the accident.
2024-01-08 21:39:26
Original from www.theguardian.com
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