Injured footy fans treated as crash driver denied bail
Catherine Bouris and Allanah Sciberras |
A driver whose car careered into a crowd of Newcastle Knights supporters will be kept in custody as the community rallies to support those injured in the crash.
Chris Clancy was one of thousands of Newcastle Knights fans who lined the streets to farewell their team as the players travelled to Sydney for the grand final.
But he was left injured, along with nine other people, when a car driven by 18-year-old P-plater Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe careered into a crowd gathered on the side of the road near a major roundabout.
“We’re there at the roundabout having fun – cars going past, beeping their horns, people waving,” he told AAP.
“The next thing, this car stops (at) the roundabout and then he just floored it on the wet ground, lost it.
“It happened in seconds, but when you stand there, seeing the car coming at you, I honestly thought I was going to die. It just felt like slow motion.”
Mr Clancy suffered small fractures in his ribs and spine, a broken collarbone, and small fractures in his foot.
Samarasinghe was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and subsequently charged with nine offences, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving and causing bodily harm by misconduct.
He did not make any application for release during a brief court appearance on Sunday and he was formally refused bail.
The bail court was told the most serious offence of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm carried a maximum jail term of seven years.
Samarasinghe will next appear at Newcastle Local Court on October 15.
The judge endorsed a warrant for a health assessment.
Investigators did not believe the incident was deliberate but declined to comment on reports the vehicle was being driven erratically before the crash.
At least seven people remain at John Hunter Hospital with injuries caused by the collision.
They include a five-year-old girl who was placed into an induced coma with critical injuries, although her condition has stabilised.
A 67-year-old man was also hospitalised in a serious but stable condition.
Multiple fundraisers have been established for the victims of the incident, including one for the five-year-old girl and another for Wallsend grandfather Dave Martin.
Mr Martin was injured after being struck by the car while trying to protect his two young granddaughters, sustaining multiple fractures in both legs and undergoing a lengthy surgery.
He was known in Wallsend for his love of the Knights, often decorating his barber shop on Nelson St with team paraphernalia.
Knights chief executive Peter Parr expressed deep concern for those impacted by the crash.
“Newcastle is a strong community,” he said.
“We have seen that strength throughout this week and today we need to draw on it again with compassion, care and support for those who need it most.”
AAP