The lady who drove the bus that struck and killed a young Sydney youngster has been sentenced to two years in prison, but she may be released in less than a year.
On February 15 of last year, as 14-year-old Cameron Millen was leaving Cobbitty’s MacArthur Anglican School, he was hit by the bus driven by Penina Lopesi, a mother of eight.
The 56-year-old admitted to driving recklessly and was given a sentence in Campbelltown Court today.
Lopesi’s licence has been suspended for three years and she may be eligible for parole in just twelve months.
Following the ruling, Millen’s distraught parents, Michelle and Jeff, braved the cameras. Michelle Millen described him as “our sunshine and the piece that completed our little family of four.”
“We will never be okay without him.” The words “when the bus mounted the kerb, she panicked” perfectly capture what happened during Justice David Arnott SC’s ruling.
“In the next 13 seconds she mistakenly put her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake … resulting in catastrophic consequences.”
“She has accepted responsibility for her actions and she is truly remorseful,” he continued.
Justice Arnott made it clear that one of the most difficult things in a case like this is sentencing, since no jail time will bring back a loved one and no punishment can offer right.
The court was informed that Lopesi had nine traffic infractions on her record and had been involved in another bus accident two years earlier. leaving the Millen family with unanswered questions that they claim the court did not address.
