Vic: Arrest warrant issued for fatal crash driver

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2009
Vic: Arrest warrant issued for fatal crash driver

By Daniel Fogarty

MELBOURNE, Aug 20 AAP - A judge has issued an arrest warrant for a learner driver who
has admitted hitting and killing a pedestrian in a Melbourne CBD crash last year.

Puneet Puneet (Puneet Puneet), 19, blamed a cat and sore eyes for the accident last
October that killed Dean Hofstee, 19, and seriously injured Clancy Coker, 20, both university
students from the Gold Coast.

The pair were in the city for the annual Australian University Games.

Police said at a previous court hearing Puneet, a Victorian Institute of Culinary Arts
and Technology cookery student, recorded a 0.165 blood-alcohol reading after the crash.

He was estimated to be travelling at almost 150km/h when he lost control in the 60km/h zone.

On Thursday, the Victorian County Court was told Puneet, who was on strict bail conditions,
last reported to police on June 12.

There are fears he may have left Australia.

Outside court, Mr Hofstee's brother Quinton and father Peter said they would continue
to pursue justice.

"I think Dean would like justice," Quinton Hofstee told reporters.

"If it was him in that position he would have stood up and taken responsibility for his actions."

AAP df/gfr/sn/apm

KEYWORD: PUNEET (PIX AVAILABLE)

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