A rideshare driver will not serve jail time after a crash in Sydney’s southwest killed a 12-year-old girl and her father, and injured her younger brother.
It is reported by 7News that MD Towhidur Rahman, 53, had been driving a sedan carrying Hailie Thien An Duong, her 10-year-old brother Justin, and their father Thanh Thai Duong to a weekend night out in May 2024 when a ute T-boned their vehicle at Milperra. The impact caused catastrophic injuries to Hailie and her 41-year-old father, while Justin suffered minor injuries.
Hailie’s mother, Le Boi Ngoc Truong, who was at a temple at the time, described the day as “the worst day of my life” and told 7News that her husband had loved and provided for their children despite the couple’s separation. In a victim impact statement, Truong said:
“I know that no sentence can bring back my husband and daughter, but I hope the court understands the depth of the pain, the suffering, and the permanent impact this has caused.”
Hailie, who was described as full of energy, dreams, and passion for gymnastics and swimming, was remembered by relatives as an “amazing” girl whose life was cut tragically short.
It is further reported that Rahman, who had driven professionally for 16 years across both taxi and rideshare platforms, pleaded guilty in October to negligent driving occasioning the deaths of Hailie and her father.
Rahman sustained injuries himself in the crash and was initially placed in a medically-induced coma. His lawyer told the court he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and will never drive for rideshare platforms again.
Police prosecutor Peter Boctor said Rahman breached his duty to the family by failing to take reasonable precautions when making a right turn into the path of oncoming traffic, which resulted in the collision. However, Magistrate Tania Johnson noted the fatal crash was a one-off incident against Rahman’s previously clean driving record, which included around 25,000 trips.
Instead of jail, Rahman was sentenced to an 18-month intensive corrections order and must complete 50 hours of community service by mid-2027. He was also disqualified from driving for three years.
As per 7News, acknowledging the family’s devastating loss, Magistrate Johnson said:
“The law has no capacity to restore the balance of your lives and I acknowledge that you will never recover from your tragic loss.”
She also considered Rahman’s genuine remorse and good character when handing down the sentence.
Rahman declined to comment to media outside court following the verdict.
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