Woman pleads not guilty to deaths of two Canberra cyclists
Thi Phuong Ngoc Nguyen pleaded not guilty to two counts of culpable driving causing death and one of negligent driving.
The 40-year-old woman charged over a crash that killed two cyclists appeared in ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Bridie Lee, 32, and Ryan Riethmuller, 39, died when a blue Hyundai Accent allegedly struck them during an early-morning training ride on August 27.
Lee died at the scene; Riethmuller was taken to hospital with severe head injuries and died a week later. The crash happened on Gungahlin Drive in Palmerston.
Her defence lawyer entered not guilty pleas on her behalf to the charges. The case will return to court at a later date.
- 40 years old
- Driver's age
- August 27, around 6:20am
- Crash date
- Bridie Lee, 32, and Ryan Riethmuller, 39
- Victims
- Gungahlin Drive, Palmerston, Canberra
- Location
Why it mattersThe court case will determine whether the driver is held responsible for the two deaths, bringing closure to the cyclists' families.
AustraliaThe incident shocked Canberra's cycling community and raises questions about road safety for group training rides.
Open this story in InSnip →
