A passenger in a Mercedes involved in a fatal double car crash is accused of lying to police about who was driving when it collided with another car, telling police he did not remember what that had happened because he was sleeping.
Cruz Pamoana Davis-Tuka, 21, was in the passenger seat of the black Mercedes when it collided head-on with a Toyota Echo shortly after 9 p.m. in Heckenberg on September 1.
Paramedics treated Echo driver Alina Kauffman, 24, and her teenage brother Ernesto at the scene, but the siblings died following the crash.
Police say Mr Davis-Tuka’s friend Johnson Kokozian, 20, was in charge. He has since been charged with several offenses related to the crash.
Liverpool Local Court on Friday heard a police witness claim Mr Kokozian was the driver, while Mr Davis-Tuka gives a contradictory version of the story and claims his friend was the passenger.
He is charged with covering up a serious criminal act and obstructing a serious investigation.
Alina Kauffman, 24, and her brother Ernesto Salazar, 15, were killed when a suspected high-speed Mercedes crashed into their Toyota Echo in south-west Sydney last week.
Following further investigation, investigators arrested a 21-year-old man – Cruz Pamoana Davis-Tuka – at a house in Liverpool at around 9.30am on Wednesday.
Magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim read out some of the alleged facts in court, where it was revealed that Mr Davis-Tuka told police he did not remember the collision ‘because he was asleep’.
“He falsely identified the driver as a passenger in the vehicle… he provided no further information to the police,” the magistrate said.
Mr Davis-Tuka’s lawyer, Elie Srour, told the court the evidence came from “one of the passengers assisting the police”.
Appearing via AVL from Parklea Jail wearing a green sweater and trousers, Mr Davis-Tuka sat with a straight face as his father, sister and two friends supported him from the public podium.
Mr Srour said there was ‘no evidence that (Mr Davis-Tuka) concocted a version of events’ and that if his client was going to interfere with witnesses he would have done so already, but he didn’t.
He argued that the prosecution’s arguments were circumstantial, based on police testimony that could be challenged if or when the case went to trial.
“In my humble opinion, this is not a strong prosecution case,” Mr Srour told the court.
Johnson Kokozian faces seven charges over the crash
A police prosecutor told the court he feared Mr Davis-Tuka could further interfere with witnesses and evidence.
He said information had come to light which would show that Mr Davis-Tuka ‘certainly knew who the driver was at the time of the collision and did not assist the prosecution in deciding that matter when necessary’.
“He was present at the time of the collision, he left the scene of the collision with the driver and another occupant and was certainly aware of all the circumstances of this accident,” said the prosecutor.
Magistrate Abdul-Karim told the court he disagreed with Mr Srour’s assertion that the case was weak and there was “a case on the merits” against Mr Davis -Tuka based on both “information from the other passenger” as well as CCTV footage.
Despite concerns, the magistrate released Mr Davis-Tuka on strict bail, including a condition of house arrest, where he must only leave his home to report to police daily.
Mr Kokozian’s partner, Tiana Savignano, and her father, Kagadour Kokozian, were also arrested and charged on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in covering up the incident.
Mr. Kokozian’s father, Kagadour Kokozian, faces the same charges as Ms. Savignano and Mr. Davis-Tuka.
Both were charged with concealment of a serious criminal act and obstructing a serious investigation.
Mr. Kokozian was charged with seven counts, including failure to provide assistance after a fatal accident, negligent driving causing death, driving while disqualified, and two counts of aggravated dangerous driving causing death and exceeding a speed of more than 45 km/h.
On Wednesday, the court heard that Mr Kokozian, the passengers and Ms Savignano traveled to his father’s home where an alleged “discussion allegedly took place regarding the creation of a false narrative”.
The court heard the group allegedly tried to prevent police from “properly investigating this matter” or gathering “critical” evidence.
The prosecutor said there had been an alleged “active discussion” aimed at creating a “false narrative” aimed at hiding Mr Kokozian’s identity.
On Wednesday, the court heard that Mr Kokozian, the passengers and Ms Savignano traveled to his father’s home where an alleged “discussion allegedly took place regarding the creation of a false narrative”.
Ms Savignano allegedly called the police around 10.30pm and had a 15-minute conversation during which she reported the car stolen.
“The fact that she misled the police in the critical early stages of this investigation, according to the prosecution, is not only a flagrant violation of community expectations, but also of the law,” the prosecutor said on Wednesday. of the font.
The court also heard that Mr Kokozian’s father had gone to the scene of the accident after being informed of the injuries inflicted on his siblings.
Mr Kokozian was denied bail and will return to court in November, while his father was released on bail by police and is due in court in October.
Mr Davis-Tuka and Ms Savignano will return to court on September 26.
