Michael John Wood (right) approaches the ACT Courts with his solicitor, Michael Kukulies-Smith of Kamy Saeedi Law. Photo: Albert McKnight.
A man has admitted to killing his wife in a fatal car crash after he failed to properly heed medical advice.
Michael John Wood was driving on Isabella Drive on 7 May 2022 when he suffered a medical episode and crashed the car into a tree.
His wife, whom Region has chosen not to name, was a passenger in the car and died from her injuries soon after the crash, while a second passenger was also injured.
The 52-year-old faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday (27 October) and pleaded guilty to charges of negligent driving causing death and negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
The court heard he was originally charged with culpable driving, which is more serious, but prosecutors ultimately did not proceed with these charges as they accepted his pleas to negligent driving.
His barrister, Kieran Ginges, said at the time his client had an unfounded belief he was able to drive a car.
Wood had been treated for having a cyst on his brain. Mr Ginges said in July 2021, a neurologist told Wood, who worked as a truck driver, he couldn’t drive commercial vehicles for 10 years, but he could drive a personal vehicle six months after his last seizure.
Then, in January 2022, a neurosurgeon told him not to drive personal vehicles until his neurologist gave him permission.
Magistrate James Lawton said Wood did take medical advice and didn’t drive heavy trucks, but appeared to have misunderstood or forgotten about the advice not to drive his own vehicle.
“The onus is on Mr Wood to ensure he understands the information that’s given to him by his neurosurgeon,” prosecutor Morgan Howe said.
“A message can clearly be sent to others who have medical conditions that they have to seek out advice, they have to engage with that advice and they have to heed that advice they have been given.”
Mr Ginges said his client had reported that he hadn’t been driving because he didn’t want to put anyone at risk, but had returned to driving because he believed it was in accordance with his doctor’s instructions.
“He’s been a professional driver all his life,” the barrister said.
“He believed he had clearance to drive.”
He also said his client’s cognitive decline, caused by the cyst on his brain, may have impaired his ability to recall or understand medical advice.
Mr Ginges argued the case was not serious enough to cross the threshold that would result in a sentence involving some form of imprisonment, while Mr Howe argued it did cross this threshold.
Magistrate Lawton will hand down his sentence on 5 November.
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