In 2010 while on an early morning bike ride, Tatura mother of young twins, Jodie Ridges, was struck by a car that failed to give way. She later died from her severe injuries.
Last year, 13 years later, the driver who caused Jodie’s death repeated the dastardly act, and killed a motorcyclist in a head-on collision when he cut a corner on a right-hand turn.
Vincent Varapodio, 55, of Tatura was this month sentenced to two and a half years in jail for the crash last that killed Paul Hangan, 67, of Rochester.
Varapodio had been given a suspended jail sentence in 2010 on charges of failing to give way and driving while suspended after the Jodie Ridges collision. He was also ordered to make a $10,000 donation to the Scott Peoples Foundation.
In sentencing, Judge Fiona Todd said Varapodio had been caught speeding 19 times between 1995 and 2023, and was picked up speeding at 123km/h in January this year while on bail for the crash with the motorcyclist.
Varapodio pleaded guilty in Bendigo County Court to a charge of dangerous driving causing death.
As well as jailing Varapodio, Judge Todd also cancelled his driver’s licence for 24 months, which is longer than the mandatory minimum of 18 months.
Judge Todd said Varapodio’s early guilty plea was a strong mitigating factor, which the court took into account with the sentence.
Jodie Ridges has a local trail named after her.
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