Key witness who was inside car that allegedly struck down SA Police commissioner’s son Charlie Stevens drops major bombshell

Key witness who was inside car that allegedly struck down SA Police commissioner’s son Charlie Stevens drops major bombshell Teenager, 18, killed in alleged hit-and-run Accused driver, 18, faced court on Monday READ MORE: Heartbreak for accused hit-and-run diver, 18 Do you know more? Email Tita. smith@mailonline. com By Tita Smith For Daily Mail Australia Published: 00:37, 22 November 2023 | Updated: 01:27, 23 November 2023 e-mail 323 shares A woman who was seated inside the car that allegedly struck down the South Australian Police commissioner’s son Charlie Stevens told police the teen ‘ran across the road, into the path of the vehicle moments before impact’.

Montana Rose Bowd was one of four witnesses interviewed by police after Dhirren Singh Randhawa was arrested and charged over Charlie’s death, according to court documents seen by the Adelaide Advertiser . Prosecutors allege Ms Bowd told police she observed a few males on the western side of the road, and partially on the footpath, and another male on the eastern side of the road. They allege she said the male on the eastern side of the road ran across the road into the path of Dhirren’s car.

Dhirren Randhawa, 18, (pictured leaving Christies Beach Magistrates’ Court in Adelaide on Monday) has been charged over the death of Charlie Stevens. His mum is in pink on the right Charlie is pictured with his dad, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens She told police Dhirren drove a short distance away and called his mother to ask whether he should call police or attend a police station in person, according to the documents. This version of events differs to those of three witnesses waiting with Charlie.

They allege Dhirren did a U-turn in his car and drove into Charlie as they were waiting for a Schoolies shuttle bus to take them back to Victor Harbor from Goolwa Beach on Friday night. The witnesses, who said they were waiting with Charlie, say they flagged down Dhirren, who was driving a blue VW Golf, to see if they could hitch a ride. But there was not enough room in the car and the witnesses say Dhirren drove away before making a U-turn.

He then allegedly sped up and started travelling on the wrong side of the road before hitting Charlie, court documents obtained by The Advertiser reveal . The witness states Dhirren then drove a short distance before calling his mother. As he was talking to her, the police arrived and arrested him, the witness said.

The graphic showing the two differing accounts of the alleged hit-and-run (above) The facts of charge document, which recounts the eyewitness accounts, was on Monday lodged with Christies Beach Magistrates Court, where Dhirren appeared for the first time in the afternoon. His mother Amreeta Stara attended the court, and silently sat in the front row. The court granted Dhirren bail and he left the court with his mother and supporters in the late afternoon, moving through a scrum of media into a waiting car.

Charlie suffered irreversible brain damage in the smash and died at 7. 01pm on Saturday. Mr Stevens, his wife Emma and their four other children, Sophie, Dylan, Josh and Tom, said their goodbyes to him at Flinders Medical Centre alongside extended family.

Photos of the car show damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle. The police have charged Dhirren with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of a crash after causing death and failing to truly answer questions. If he is found guilty, he faces a maximum jail term of 15 years and disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 10 years.

Charlie was in the Victor Harbor area for schoolies festivities Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton KC is handling the case for the prosecution and he did not oppose bail for the teen. Dhirren’s bail conditions include forfeiting his passport, agreeing to reside with his mother and setting aside $15,000 as a guarantee. He is also banned from contacting four people connected to the case.

Ms Stara expressed her condolences to the Stevens family in a statement from Saturday. ‘I extend my deepest possible sympathies to the Stevens family and my heart is breaking to think of the suffering and pain they are experiencing,’ she said. ‘Out of respect and acknowledging that this is now a matter for the courts, I won’t be saying anything further at this time.

‘ The family have hired barrister Jane Abbey KC to help with Dhirren’s legal case. Dhirren, from Encounter Bay and a graduate of Victor Harbor High School, held a provisional licence at the time. He worked as an apprentice barber at a Goolwa hairdresser and it’s understood he held aspirations to study at university.

He will next appear in court at Adelaide Magistrates Court in March. Charlie’s death marks the 101st fatality on South Australia’s roads this year compared with just 61 from the same period last year. It was a second tragedy for the police force, coming just hours after the shocking alleged shooting death of police officer Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig, 53, at a remote property near Bordertown in the state’s southeast.

Mr Stevens travelled to Bordertown on Friday to express his grief at the tragedy, which marked the first South Australian police officer to die from a shooting in the line of duty in four decades. South Australia Adelaide Montana Share or comment on this article: Key witness who was inside car that allegedly struck down SA Police commissioner’s son Charlie Stevens drops major bombshell e-mail 323 shares Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. .