CMT and Driving in the News

May 9, 2008

A P-PLATER had his licence for just 13 days before he killed an 82-

year-old war veteran crossing a road.

Jack Larkin died in his son's arms after he was struck in Mt

Waverley.

Roy , now 20, yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of

dangerous driving causing death.

Police estimate his car was travelling between 76 and 100km/h in a

60km/h zone when it struck Mr Larkin in High Street Rd in September

2005.

His son Craig called out a last-second warning when he saw the car

speeding down the road.

Mr Larkin, who fought the Japanese in World War II, was thrown on to

the path outside his son's business, Greenmount Nursery. He had been

visiting his grandsons.

" To cradle my father in my arms as he took his last breath was most

traumatic, " Craig Larkin said in a statement to the County Court

yesterday.

He has flashbacks of his father being hit by the speeding car and

knocked out of his shoes.

admitted to travelling about 80km/h.

The court heard he told police at the scene: " What have I done? What

have I done? I was going too fast. "

He also said: " I really stuffed up. "

Defence counsel Dickinson said had since been diagnosed

with a debilitating degenerative disease known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth

Disease.

The neurological disorder results in muscle weakness and atrophy in

the extremities.

Mr Dickinson said it may have been a factor in the collision.

Prosecutor Ian Heath said accelerated hard when he took off

from the intersection of Lawrence Rd just before the crash.

He had earlier been changing lanes, moving in and out of traffic and

accelerating quickly as he took two people for a drive in his car.

claimed Mr Larkin hesitated while crossing the road and he

swerved to miss him.

, of Mount Waverley, has no prior convictions.

His lawyer asked for a community-based order or suspended sentence,

but the prosecutor asked for an immediate jail term.

Judge Hannan will sentence him on Monday.

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