Driver who allegedly crashes into crowd in Australia's Newcastle refused bail-Xinhua

Driver who allegedly crashes into crowd in Australia's Newcastle refused bail

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2026-10-04 11:41:30

SYDNEY, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The teenager who was allegedly behind the wheel of a car that crashed into a crowd and injured 10 in Australia's Newcastle was refused bail on Sunday.

Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, 18, has been charged 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.

He appeared in the Newcastle Bail Court on Sunday and did not apply for release, before bail was formally refused, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

A five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man, who were critically injured in the crash, are now listed as being in serious but stable conditions in John Hunter Hospital, the ABC said.

Two other young girls, aged five and two, a 31-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man remain stable in hospital. Four others have been discharged.

The assistant commissioner of police in the Australian state of New South Wales, David Waddell, told reporters on Saturday afternoon that a car was driving erratically before the driver lost control and crashed into a crowd around 9:30 a.m. local time on Saturday.

He said that the crowd had gathered along the side of the road as part of an official farewell event for the local team, the Newcastle Knights, as they traveled to Sydney to play in the National Rugby League grand final on Sunday night.

The case will return to court on Oct. 15. ■