Victor Desire Benjamin Grillot: Guilty pleas to dangerous driving charges after killing father in Pallinup

A young Frenchman living in the Great Southern has admitted to being at fault in a horror collision in Pallinup that caused the death of a father and serious injuries to his infant son in July. Victor Desire Benjamin Grillot, 26, appeared in Katanning Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm in a manner dangerous to the public. The 26-year-old was supported by loved ones in the courtroom as Magistrate Erin O’Donnell, aided by a French interpreter, relayed the two charges to him. On July 8, Grillot was driving a blue Nissan Dualis station wagon when it collided with a white Citroen hatchback about 4.42pm on Broomehill-Gnowangerup Road in Pallinup. Emergency services rushed to the scene, where they pronounced the 45-year-old driver of the hatchback dead. His infant son, who was a passenger in the car, was transported to Gnowangerup District Hospital and then via Royal Flying Doctor Service to Perth Children’s Hospital with serious injuries. Despite having no noticeable injuries in court, Grillot was also airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital, where he remained in critical condition for some time. Grillot will appear in Perth District Court on November 21 for sentencing.