“The pain, grief and loss of your beloved Aneri. We know that nothing we can say will ease your pain. We know that your lives will be changed forever” – Joe Galuvao
Former NRL star Joe Galuvao has apologised to the family of a 16-year-old schoolgirl, allegedly run down and killed by his sister at a notorious Kogarah intersection.
Puipuimaota Galuvao, 26, of Como, wiped away tears as she appeared in Kogarah Local Court on Tuesday, charged with a string of offences including dangerous driving occasioning death, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and driving without a licence.
Aneri Patel, from Kogarah High School, died after the Mitsubishi Challenger four-wheel-drive Ms. Galuvao was driving crashed into the O’Reilly & Daly Chemist on Railway Parade about 11.25am on September 15.
The car, which demolished half the shop, also injured employee Suzanne Ferguson, and trapped 84-year-old customer Frederick Cook.
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Ms. Galuvao, her female passenger and two children in the 4WD escaped relatively unscathed.
Police say she has never held a driver’s licence.
After a brief appearance in court, Ms Galuvao declined to comment but her brother, a two-time premiership winner, read a statement addressing the victims, their families and the proprietors of the pharmacy.
“To the Patel family, not a day goes by that we do not think about your family or what your family is going through,” Mr. Galuvao said.
“The pain, grief and loss of your beloved Aneri. We know that nothing we can say will ease your pain. We know that your lives will be changed forever”.
He also apologised to Ms. Ferguson and Mr. Cook for the physical and emotional injuries they suffered.
“We are truly sorry for the pain and anguish that you must be suffering,” he said.
“To the chemist - we would like to express our deepest regret for the damage caused to the business and loss of revenue. We have no doubt that you are suffering. We hope that all the damage can be repaired and that business returns as usual as soon as possible.
“We would also like to pass on our sympathies to everybody else who has been directly or indirectly impacted by what has happened; to extended family and friends of the Patel family, Suzanne and Frederick, as well as to the wider Kogarah community,” he said.
The incident followed a case in 2007, when fashion student Emma Hansen, 20, died and 11 people were injured when a learner driver at the wheel of a Toyota Echo crashed into a queue waiting at the same bus stop.
In the wake of Aneri’s death, Minister for Roads Duncan Gay announced that a range of safety measures including signal phasing, moving the bus stop, reviewing the speed limit and installing physical barriers, such as bollards, would be considered.
Ms. Galuvao’s bail was continued. She will appear in the Downing Centre Local Court on November 25.
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