Driver charged, Supanova founder ‘gutted’ after man dies, another injured in car crash
Updated ,first published
An unlicensed driver has been charged after a young man crashed into a car and died outside the annual Supanova comic culture convention in Melbourne’s north-west on Saturday.
A group of three pedestrians were leaving the event at the Melbourne Showgrounds just before 5pm when a blue Toyota sedan allegedly mounted the pavement on Langs Road, striking and killing a 20-year-old Keysborough man.
The vehicle also hit another 20-year-old man. The man remains in a stable condition at the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries to his lower body.
The third member of the group, who was not physically injured, was taken to hospital with “trauma”, police said.
Awer Dau, 33, of Werribee, was charged with dangerous driving causing death and culpable driving while on bail.
Police allege Dau did not have a driver’s license at the time of the incident in Ascot Vale on Saturday.
Dau appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Sunday wearing a dark jumper and cargo trousers. During the hearing, he sat with his fingers intertwined and his head bowed.
A police prosecutor told the court they would need 16 weeks to gather a large amount of evidence about the crash, including CCTV, mobile phone information, mechanical and forensic evidence from the car and witness statements.
The court was told Dau did not have any health problems that required treatment while in custody. He did not apply for bail.
The 33-year-old actor will return to court on September 16.
The event, which is expected to draw up to 26,000 attendees over the weekend, was paused at noon Sunday for a moment of silence in memory of the dead and injured men, who organizers believe were cosplay enthusiasts leaving the convention.
Detective Inspector Craig McEvoy, of the major collision investigation unit, described the driver as someone “well known to the police”.
A Victoria Police spokesman said the investigation into the incident was ongoing and “further charges are expected”.
Supanova founder and director Daniel Zachariou later told this imprint that most attendees and organizers were unaware of the tragedy that unfolded outside gate 2 of the show floor on Saturday evening.
“We had guests signing until 7.30am because it was so popular, but just 100 meters down the road there was a complete tragedy taking place that we really knew very little about,” Zachariou said.
“We were all gutted and at the same time, like so many people experiencing tragedies around the world, we had to step forward and do what we had to do to make this event happen.”
Volo Kazmirchuk, who attended Supanova on Saturday and Sunday, said he heard about the incident while returning home on Saturday evening.
“This is a tragic situation and I offer my sincerest condolences to the families and those affected,” Kazmirchuk said.
“But when I come back here, I don’t feel bad because in this case, God forbid, there was no shooting or anything like that.”
McEvoy said Saturday evening that police were investigating whether the shooting was intentional.
“One hundred percent. We’ll look at everything,” McEvoy said. “We will let the evidence tell us what happened here tonight. We have not yet determined whether drugs, alcohol and speed were involved but this will form part of our investigation.”
McEvoy said the car hit the pedestrians, then traveled 120 meters along a path between trees, lampposts and hedges around the show site.
The witness told this imprint that the driver allegedly tried to flee the scene but was blocked by passersby before an off-duty police officer arrested him. It was learned that the vehicle was for rent.
“The vehicle traveled a significant distance along the footpath, which is extremely strange,” McEvoy said. “At this point in time it suggests nothing [that] is medically relevant.
“He is well known to police at this point,” McEvoy said.
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan said this was a tragic incident that should never have happened.
“My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the person who was tragically killed, and I understand there are other injured people as well,” he said. “Police are investigating so further details about the individuals or the circumstances surrounding this horrific accident are imminent.”
He thanked emergency services who responded to the incident and acknowledged it would have been an “incredibly distressing” scene.
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