Two young drivers from the same tight-knit Melbourne community were allegedly speeding and ran red lights before they collided and killed a 21-year-old man.
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Jayson Ziro, 19, and Marvin Younis, 25, both of Roxburgh Park, appeared separately in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday and were granted bail.
Both face multiple charges, including culpable driving causing the death of Campbellfield man Jack Baho, 21, after their cars collided at a Greenvale intersection on November 25 last year.
Ziro was driving a Volkswagen Golf when it hit a Mitsubishi Lancer, driven by Younes.
Mr Baho was a front passenger in Mr Younis's Lancer and died at the scene. Two other passengers were injured.
Detective Sergeant Paul Lineham opposed bail for Ziro and Younis, arguing both posed an unacceptable risk.
He said Ziro, a P-plater, was allegedly alcohol affected and travelling an estimated 86 km/h in a 60 zone when he ran a red light and crashed into Younis.
Magistrate Simon Zebrowski said he was "staggered" Ziro had again been caught speeding following the fatal crash.
"You knew somebody passed away, yet still drove a motor vehicle and were speeding. That strikes me as extraordinary," he said.
However, he found any risk he posed could be made acceptable by bailing him on conditions including a driving ban.
Younis was allegedly travelling at an estimated 97 km/h in a 60 zone before running a red light and smashing into Ziro's car.
No drugs or alcohol were detected in his system.
Det Sgt Lineham said Younis had a history of driving matters and feared he would endanger other road users.
However, Mr Zebrowski bailed him, noting he had not come to the attention of authorities in the 11 months since the crash, had ties to the jurisdiction, a job and family support.
The court heard both accused belong to a tight-knit Coptic Catholic Iraqi community.
"This represents the most extraordinary confluence of events," Mr Zebrowski said.
"These fellows are speeding, from opposite directions, they both go through red lights and they crash, on the evidence.
"And that they all know each other because they're all from the same community, what's the chances of that?"
Mr Zebrowski said it's a "classic example" of the dangers posed by hooning young men.
"Driving around too fast and one thing's for sure, somebody's dead," he told Younis.
"Young men don't think of the consequences when they're driving."
The accused return to court on November 26.
Australian Associated Press
