A back-seat passenger who caused a fatal head-on Channel Highway car crash by turning the steering wheel into oncoming traffic will spend at least three years behind bars. Nicholas Aaron Paul Cernigoi, 30, was this afternoon sentenced for manslaughter and three counts of causing grievous bodily harm. The fatal collision occurred just north of Margate at 8.30pm on June 14, 2013. Cernigoi reached between the two front seats of a Ford sedan he was travelling in, pushing the steering wheel and causing the car to drive into the path on an oncoming vehicle. There were five occupants in an oncoming Toyota, who were all related. The front-seat passenger of the the Toyota, a 75-year-old Kingston man, died at the scene. The driver and a woman in the back seat of the Toyota both suffered serious injuries. A female passenger in the Ford Cernigoi was travelling in was also seriously injured. Justice David Porter said Cernigoi's actions were extraordinarily reckless and had caused appalling consequences. He sentenced him to five years and six months in prison. Cernigoi will serve an additional three month for breaching suspended sentences.
A back-seat passenger who caused a fatal head-on Channel Highway car crash by turning the steering wheel into oncoming traffic will spend at least three years behind bars.
Nicholas Aaron Paul Cernigoi, 30, was this afternoon sentenced for manslaughter and three counts of causing grievous bodily harm.
The fatal collision occurred just north of Margate at 8.30pm on June 14, 2013.
Cernigoi reached between the two front seats of a Ford sedan he was travelling in, pushing the steering wheel and causing the car to drive into the path on an oncoming vehicle.
There were five occupants in an oncoming Toyota, who were all related.
The front-seat passenger of the the Toyota, a 75-year-old Kingston man, died at the scene.
The driver and a woman in the back seat of the Toyota both suffered serious injuries.
A female passenger in the Ford Cernigoi was travelling in was also seriously injured.
Justice David Porter said Cernigoi's actions were extraordinarily reckless and had caused appalling consequences.
He sentenced him to five years and six months in prison.
Cernigoi will serve an additional three month for breaching suspended sentences.
