The mother of two children tragically killed in a high-speed crash has condemned the actions of the driver’s father, asserting that his attempted cover-up stemmed from cowardice and a lack of compassion. Kagadour Hanna Kokozian, aged 64, was aware that his son Johnson was driving the vehicle during the fatal incident but chose to report the car as stolen instead.
During the court hearing, Angelina Kauffman, the mother of 24-year-old Alina and 15-year-old Ernesto Salazar, expressed her outrage while wearing a jumper featuring her children’s faces. She delivered a poignant victim impact statement, stating, “I hope one day, when it is your time, that God shows you the truth of what you have done,” and remarked that there is no place in heaven or hell that could bear the weight of Kokozian’s actions. She accused him of prioritising his son and the vehicle over the lives of her children, as he looked down in shame.
On the day of the accident in September 2023, Johnson Kokozian, 23, was recklessly driving a new Mercedes-Benz AMG and attempted to overtake another vehicle in Heckenberg, south-west Sydney. He was travelling at double the 50 km/h speed limit when he collided head-on with the car carrying the siblings, resulting in their deaths at the scene. After the crash, Kokozian fled without aiding the victims.
Ms Kauffman expressed her fury towards Kokozian Sr for permitting his son, despite knowing he was unlicensed and irresponsible. She stated, “You did not just fail as a parent – you raised someone who became a danger to society,” highlighting a stark moral divide between them, as she took pride in her children.
Kagadour Kokozian has pleaded guilty to obstructing a police investigation and concealing a serious offence. Shortly after the crash, he falsely reported the SUV as stolen, raising concerns about his actions. While his defence lawyer claimed he acted out of loyalty to his son and expressed remorse, the prosecution argued he made deliberate choices, including going to the crash site and noticing the fatalities.
The court is set to determine his sentence on May 14, with discussions around a non-custodial community corrections order for Kokozian Sr, who has been reportedly diagnosed with acute stress disorder. His defence sought leniency, while the prosecution insisted he had the capacity for rational decision-making.
Johnson Kokozian was previously sentenced to nine years in prison, with a non-parole period of five-and-a-half years. The passenger in his car, Cruz Pamoana Davis-Tuka, received a 15-month intensive corrections order for his involvement in the concealment of the crash. Meanwhile, Johnson’s fiancée, Tiana Savignano, faces similar charges, having pleaded not guilty.