Paino sister hits out at crash tragedy

THE sister of road crash victim Sarah Paino has blasted those behind another fatal hit and run.

Hobart’s Vanessa Hayward, 42, was killed when her car was struck by a vehicle that failed to stop at an intersection in New Town last Thursday.

The culprits fled the Pirie St crash leaving Ms Hayward trapped in a mangled wreck.

Despite efforts by residents and paramedics she died on the way to hospital.

Olivia Paino said she was “so sorry” another family had to endure the pain of losing a loved one in a case of reckless driving.

“This breaks my heart, you sick, nasty excuses of beings, rot in hell,” she wrote on Facebook.

“Rest in peace Vanessa Hayward, another beautiful

soul and family left to deal with the heartbreak. I’m so sorry …”

Sarah Paino was just 24 and pregnant when a teenager fleeing police in a stolen fourwheel-drive ran a red light at 110km/h in the Hobart CBD and slammed into her car.

Sarah, whose two-year-old son was not injured in the crash, was killed but surgeons were able to deliver her 32week term baby Caleb. The offender, who was 15 at the time of the crash in 2016, was jailed for five years for manslaughter.

Vanessa Hayward’s mother Mary told the Mercury that the carnage on the roads had to stop after the deaths of the two women.

“Last year it was a young pregnant woman who was killed in similar circumstances,” she said.

“If there’s one lesson we could get from this it’s to try and be driver aware and aware of the consequences of something you think could never happen which has had such a horrendous impact.”

Police have renewed calls for a person of interest in the fatal crash to come forward.

Zach Muir-Bennett, who has had multiple criminal convictions and has been described in court as a “danger to the public”, is wanted for questioning over the crash.

But police believe MuirBennett, who has underworld associates, is being harboured by others.

“We believe that Mr MuirBennett is being assisted by people to help him avoid speaking to us,” Detective Inspector Ian Whish-Wilson said.

Muir-Bennett, who has done time for violent crimes and burglary, was at the centre of the Risdon Prison hostage drama in 2011. Justice Shan Tennent described him as “a danger to the public’’ when the matter went to court.

In 2012, the prison’s tactical response group had to storm Risdon when Muir-Bennett went on a destructive rampage.

Information about his whereabouts can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Hobart CIB on 131444.