The 18-year-old driver accused of crashing a gold BMW into Newcastle Knights supporters, injuring 10 people, has appeared in court and will remain behind bars until next week.
NSW Police allege Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe was behind the wheel of the red P-plated luxury vehicle, which carried the personalised number plates “INDIKA”, when it struck the crowd. A five-year-old girl suffered critical injuries.
Handcuffed and wearing a Dove’s Home Cooked Food T-shirt, the teenager did not seek bail. It was formally refused during a brief hearing conducted from Newcastle Police Station.
His lawyers also asked the judge whether a warrant could be issued so Samarasinghe could undergo a health assessment in custody. The court heard the examination would likely include a review of his “mental health”.
Samarasinghe was discharged from hospital on Saturday and taken to Newcastle police station, where he was charged with nine offences and had his licence suspended.
Earlier, court records revealed that his licence had already been suspended in February.
He challenged the suspension in April but lost the appeal, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Police have charged Samarasinghe with three counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, three counts of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and three counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of a motor vehicle.
Teenager Indika Samarasinghe made a brief court appearance in handcuffs and did not apply for bail on the nine charges
Police allege 18-year-old Indika Samarasinghe was driving the red P-plated gold BMW that struck crowds of Knights supporters waving off the team on Saturday
Indika Samarasinghe, 18, has been identified as the teenage driver accused of crashing his gold BMW into Newcastle Knights fans, injuring 10 people
Prosecutors told the bail court on Sunday that the first charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
While he remained in custody, angry members of the public posted messages on Samarasinghe’s TikTok account condemning the alleged incident.
Friends or supporters responded to the criticism, arguing that people were “acting like he meant it … he was doing a burnout while 100s of people stood on the side of the road”.
The crash happened on Saturday morning as Knights supporters gathered to wave off the team bus before the NRL Grand Final in Newcastle, north of Sydney. Police allege the vehicle struck people in the crowd.
Emergency crews were called to the Newcastle Link Road roundabout on Transfield Avenue at about 9.30am after reports that a vehicle had hit people on the pavement following alleged erratic driving.
Samarasinghe was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital for mandatory testing. Of the 10 people injured, the five-year-old girl remains in a critical but stable condition in an induced coma.
Newcastle mayor Gavin Morris said on Instagram that “our thoughts remain with those who were hurt or injured in yesterday’s incident”, while specifically expressing concern for “our little girl”.
“She’s had a very tough time, she is now in a stable condition,” he said. “Our thoughts are with her, and her mother is still in hospital as well.”
The five-year-old girl is among 10 people injured and remains in a critical but stable condition in an induced coma
Ashleigh Gibbs, who is understood to be a relative of the child, has launched a GoFundMe to help support the child, along with her mother who was also injured in the crash.
‘A beautiful five-year-old child is currently in an induced coma after suffering serious injuries and has already required multiple operations,’ she wrote.
‘Their mum was also seriously injured and will require multiple operations and a long period of recovery.
‘Both mum and child now have a long road ahead of them, with ongoing surgeries, hospital stays, rehabilitation and recovery.
‘Sadly, because of the severity of their injuries, mum will not be able to work for some time, placing enormous financial pressure on the family while they focus on healing and being there for each other.’
Ms Gibbs said funds would go towards medical bills, everyday costs, travel and other unexpected expenses.
‘Our biggest hope is that this family can focus on what matters most – getting through each day, supporting their little one, and recovering together – without having to worry about how they will manage financially,’ she wrote.
A 67-year-old man was also in a critical condition but police confirmed that has been downgraded to a serious but stable condition.
Indika Samarasinghe will next appear in Newcastle Local Court on October 15.
SEE ALSO: Former Fox News Anchor Says Trump Set a Trap—and Fox Fell for It