Man on road rage charges: [1 All-round Country Edition]
John Stapleton, Amanda Hodge, Additional reporting: Jennifer Sexton. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T.[Canberra, A.C.T] 13 Dec 2004: 3.
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Abstract
Mr [Ben Sarkis], a father of two who worked as a draftsman, did not regain consciousness and died in hospital at 8.30pm on Saturday with his wife at his side. A neighbour said the couple had a tradition of going out to dinner every Saturday night. Mr Sarkis’s family said he had been planning to retire with his wife to Queensland, partly because Sydney traffic had become too aggressive.
Full Text
A MAN is to appear in court today charged with manslaughter after a road-rage incident on Saturday in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Glebe allegedly led to the death of a 60-year-old motorist.
At Parramatta Court yesterday the accused, Maka Afu, 35, did not apply for bail. He was charged with manslaughter and malicious intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Police will allege Ben Sarkis stopped at traffic lights and left his vehicle to confront the driver of a car about being cut off earlier.
The 60-year-old was allegedly punched and fell to the road. Police told the court Afu left the scene after the argument. Shortly afterwards police arrested Afu at his home in Marrickville.
Mr Sarkis, a father of two who worked as a draftsman, did not regain consciousness and died in hospital at 8.30pm on Saturday with his wife at his side. A neighbour said the couple had a tradition of going out to dinner every Saturday night. Mr Sarkis’s family said he had been planning to retire with his wife to Queensland, partly because Sydney traffic had become too aggressive.
Mr Sarkis’s daughter Ramona, 27, described her father as very outgoing. “He used to joke a lot and would help people,” she said. “He was a good father.”
The incident prompted Police Commissioner Ken Moroney to call on drivers to keep their cool.
“Keep calm. When someone else around you has lost their head and is exhibiting inappropriate behaviour in the manner by which they are driving their car, certainly take a note of the number of the motor car, the time, the date and the place, and report the incident to police,” he said.