A man has been acquitted of the death of his new wife, who was killed in golf buggy crash during their honeymoon in Queensland.
Robbie Awad was today found not guilty on a charge of driving without due care and attention causing death in Proserpine Magistrates Court.
The 32-year-old earlier pleaded guilty to seatbelt and mobile phone offences.
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Awad and his wife, 29-year-old Marina Hanna, were driving in a golf buggy up a steep hill on Hamilton Island in June 2022 when it started to slow.
The buggy tipped, crushing and killing Hanna.
The Sydney newlyweds had only been married for 10 days when the fatal crash occurred.
Awad’s defence argued the battery of the buggy was faulty and that he performed a U-turn in the safest way he thought when it became clear the buggy couldn’t travel up the hill further.
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He claimed the cart accelerated unexpectedly before toppling, and the catastrophic consequences were not his fault.
The prosecution had alleged Awad was responsible for his wife’s death because the U-turn was executed illegally and on the wrong side of the road.
Traffic engineer Grant Johnston was called in as a defence witness and disputed that finding, saying Awad acted reasonably in the circumstances, not recklessly.
Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan handed down her decision today, leaving Awad emotional as he left court.
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