Christopher Dillon Joannidis, 29, pleaded not guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to five counts of driving in a dangerous manner causing death and two counts of reckless conduct endangering life.
Cobram’s Debbie Markey, 60, and four international workers — three women and a man, who were aged in their 20s and from Asian countries, Pin-Yu Wang, Hsin-Yu Chen, Wai Yan Lam and Zih-Yao Chen — died in the crash between Mr Joannidis’s car, a ute and a truck.
In a preliminary brief at a bail application soon after the crash, police alleged Mr Joannidis was driving his Mercedes north on Labuan Rd when he failed to stop at a ‘give way’ sign at an intersection with Murray Valley Hwy on April 20.
Police said his vehicle struck the rear passenger side of a Nissan Navara ute, causing it to rotate out of control onto the wrong side of the road and into the path of a B-double milk tanker travelling in the opposite direction.
All five occupants of the ute died in the crash.
A Shepparton Magistrates’ Court filing hearing on Tuesday, September 19, heard Mr Joannidis enter his pleas to the seven charges before he was committed to stand trial in the Melbourne County Court.
His bail was continued, with conditions including that he did not drive, use drugs, leave Victoria or Australia, surrender his passport, or go to points of international departure.
His bail conditions were also amended so that he can move from his home in Doncaster to live with his partner in Glen Iris.
Mr Joannidis will next face court in December.
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