A 67-year-old grandfather has suffered multiple fractures to both legs after pushing his two granddaughters out of the path of a BMW that struck Newcastle Knights supporters in Wallsend, western Newcastle.
Dave ‘The Barber’ Martin was looking after the girls, both aged five, as fans gathered on Saturday morning to wave off the Knights team bus before it travelled to Sydney for the NRL grand final.
The gold BMW hit at least 10 people at the Transfield Drive roundabout on Newcastle Link Road. Mr Martin was among those injured, along with his granddaughters and a two-year-old child. Another man suffered a broken collarbone.
Mr Martin, a longtime Knights supporter and recently retired barber, underwent eight hours of surgery at Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital. He is now recovering, while his granddaughters were kept in hospital overnight and are said by their family to be in good spirits.
The crash happened close to the Nelson Street shop in Wallsend where Mr Martin worked for many years. He had closed the barber shop earlier this year, after displaying sporting and historic memorabilia in its window.
His daughter, Luce-Mae Martin, has launched a fundraising appeal after local residents asked how they could support the family.
She said the money would help with travel, accommodation and meals, as well as supporting her father’s recovery and easing the family’s financial burden.
Police arrested 18-year-old Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe at the scene. He was charged with nine offences arising from the crash involving the gold BMW, which carried the number plate ‘INDIKA’.
Samarasinghe faces 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.
He did not apply for bail when he appeared in court on Sunday, and bail was formally refused. He is due to remain in custody until his next appearance at Newcastle Local Court on October 15.
Newcastle Mayor Gavin Morris said the community’s thoughts remained with those hurt in the incident. He also said a five-year-old girl who had been in a critical condition had endured a “very rough time” but was now stable.
