Warwick Mirzikinian Charged Over French Cyclist's Death

On November 13th, Australian poker professional Warwick Mirzikinian was driving his vehicle along the New South Head Road at Double Bay in Sydney when he was involved in a collision with French cyclist Julien Trameaux. The 24-year old was subsequently killed in the accident that took place around 6.30pm, and as a 7 News Sydney tweets commented at the time:
“Champion poker play caught up in Double Bay fatal crash. Newscorp is reporting Warwick Mirzikinian was behind the wheel of a car which collided with a cyclist on Monday night. There is no suggestion Mirzikinian was at fault in the crash. #DoubleBay #7News.”
A few months later, however, and Mirzikinian has now been charged with dangerous and negligent driving occasioning death after attending the Rose Bay Police Station on Sunday. Mirzikinian, 49, will now appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on April 18th where he will await his sentencing.
Frenchman Julien Trameaux had been working in Sydney as a labourer by day and part-time food courier for UBEREats by night, hoping to get enough money together to one day open up his own patisserie in Australia’s most populous city.
Trameaux shared an apartment in Sydney with a close group of friends who together took part in the Sydney Marathon last September. Remembering a person who they described as “optimistic and positive”, Leo Villaume explained:
“He was more than a friend, we were all a family and he was a brother. He was someone so determined.”
Apparently, Julien Trameaux’s death was the fifth such fatal accident to take place on the New South Head Road in 2017, according to Transport NSW.
Warwick Mirzikinian is one of Australia’s most successful poker pros with $756,878 in tournament earnings, $303,082 of which was won in 2017 alone. In August through to October he also won three titles, including the $20k Sydney Championships High Roller for A$247,000 ($197,385). The win marked his biggest score to date, and also came just three month’s before Trameaux’s tragic death.