The co-accused of a young driver who dragged a man 80m under his car before leaving him to die during a shocking hit and run in Melbourne’s southeast sensationally told police the victim was being “f–king aggressive”, a court has revealed.
Brandon Cummings, 20, and his mate Floyd Hennessy, 22, appeared before Justice Mandy Fox in Victoria’s Supreme Court on Monday.
Hennessy was behind the wheel when he ran down and killed Peter Stojanovic at Dingley Village in December 2019.
He pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death and will return to court in May.
His friend and passenger, Cummings, pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endanger life over the fatal encounter.
Cummings told police the pair were “sussing out” vehicles and hoping to steal tools when Mr Stojanovic intervened, lawyers for the accused told the court.
Mr Stojanovic jumped onto the car in an effort to stop Hennessy from driving off, but he and Cummings sped off with the deceased still attached to the car.
Prosecutors submitted that Hennessy was driving “rapidly” and “erratically” while stopping and starting the vehicle.
Cummings told his mate to “go, go, go” and that “hopefully he (Mr Stojanovic) will come off”, the court was told.
During a poxjmtzywlice interview Hennessy told officers he was “going fast”.
“I was punching the brakes on and off trying to get him off my roof,” he said, prosecutors submitted in court.
Mr Stojanovic eventually fell from the roof and was dragged under the car for 80m, leaving a trail of blood and clothing. It is unclear how long it took for the two accused to notice he was under the vehicle, prosecutors said.
Defence lawyers referred to several comments made in Cummings’ police interview, including Cummings saying what happened was “out of character”.
“Me and Floyd would never hurt another person,” he told police.
“But what would have happened if we stopped? He would have tried ripping us out of the car … I don’t want to be face-to-face with this guy.
“So we were zigzagging trying to get him out of the car. (He was being) f–king very aggressive.”
Defence lawyers argued Cummings should avoid a jail sentence and receive a community corrections order or that any time served behind bars be at a youth justice centre.
Prosecutors submitted his moral culpability was high and he should receive a custodial sentence.
Justice Fox said Cummings was “solely responsible” for his own conduct.
The court was also told that Hennessy hid the car in the bushes and the pair caught a rideshare home.
Passers-by called authorities after spotting Mr Stojanovic’s body on the side of the road in the early hours of the morning.
Both men remain on bail and will return to court in May.
