Alan Kiplimo, 22, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court late on Friday, where an application to extradite him on an interstate warrant was granted. Kiplimo, who is from Perth's northeastern suburbs, was arrested earlier in the day and did not attempt to apply for bail.
The driver and sole occupant, 24-year-old Caleb Leriano of Morphett Vale, was found with life threatening injuries and despite the efforts of paramedics, he sadly died at the scene. Caleb's death is being treated as suspicious and has been declared a Major Crime after his injuries were determined to have occurred as a result of an assault, prior to the crash.
Leriano was found with critical injuries early on 11 March after his red BMW struck a stobie pole in Morphett Vale, a suburb of Adelaide. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities initially treated the incident as a traffic accident, but further examination revealed injuries inconsistent with a crash, leading detectives to reclassify the case as murder.
Detectives believe Mr Leriano drove to Saphire Reserve Morphett Vale for a "planned meeting" in the early hours of the morning, and are investigating the reason for the meeting and what occurred there. Investigators have stated that the attack was unlikely to be random, though the purpose of the meeting is unclear.
Detective Inspector Andrew Macrae said "We are very pleased to have been able to share today's developments with Caleb's family." Mr Leriano's father Mike told 7News his son was a "jovial young man from Kenya who was pursuing the Australian dream". He also gave his thanks to a Good Samaritan who found Caleb unresponsive and stayed with him until emergency services arrived.
A graduate of Kenya Utalii College, Leriano had moved to Australia and worked as a chef in the disability care sector. Kiplimo will be remanded in custody overnight and flown to Adelaide on Saturday. He is expected to be charged by SA police with murdering Caleb Leriano, 24, and face an Adelaide court at a later date.