Oral threats made to defendants

Press, 25 November 1982, Page 4

Oral threats made to defendants

Two Americans facing manslaughter charges were orally threatened by a man outside the District Court yesterday. The Deep Freeze base personnel, Elizabeth Mary Piwoski • and Virgil Joseph Smith, yesterday denied several charges relating to a fatal road accident on August 17 and were committed to stand trial in the High Court. The man who accosted them had sat throughout the three-day preliminary hearing of evidence during which the Crown alleged that the accused had been racing their cars along Memorial Avenue at speeds up to 140 km/h when Piwoski’s car collided with a Mini, killing Kresimir Peter Ivos, aged 17, and injuring his mother. Piwoski, an electronics technician, aged 21 (Mr B. P. Henry), is charged with causing the death of Mr Ivos by driving at a dangerous speed, thereby committing manslaughter. and with causing

death by dangerous driving. Smith, an electrician, aged 25 (Mr P. D. Lublow), is accused of being a party to both alleged offences. Piwoski also faces charges of causing the death of Mr Ivos by an act of omission while driving with an excess blood-alcohol level, and of causing death by carelessly using a car while driving at an excess speed. Justices of the Peace, Messrs V. C. Clarke and D. F. Prestney, found that there was enough evidence to warrant a trial. Both defendants were remanded at large to stand trial on the manslaughter charges in the High Court on February 1. Another District Court appearance was scheduled for December 10 on the remaining charges. No pleas have been entered to another two charges against Piwoski and another three charges against Smith which were adjourned to the same date.