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A teenage driver accused of killing the SA Police Commissioner’s son was an ‘aspiring physician’ who ‘by no means drank’ – as new particulars emerge in regards to the alleged hit-and-run.
Charlie Stevens, 18, was with pals ready for a bus to move to Schoolies celebrations in Victor Harbor when he was allegedly struck by Dhirren Randhawa, additionally 18, in Goolwa, south of Adelaide, about 9pm on Friday.
Mr Stevens died 22 hours later in hospital, whereas Mr Randhawa was arrested a short while in a while a close-by road after allegedly fleeing the scene.
Now, simply hours earlier than the P-plate driver confronted court docket for the primary time on Monday, pals of the Randhawa household have spoken out in defence of {the teenager}.
Whereas police will allege Randhawa carried out a U-turn, sped up, and was on the flawed facet of the highway on the time of the crash, family members say he’s a ‘good child’ who’s near his single mom and youthful brother and sister.
Dhirren Randhawa, 18, (pictured leaving Christies Seashore Magistrates’ Court docket in Adelaide on Monday) has been charged over the dying of Charlie Stevens
Charlie Stevens (pictured) has been remembered by devastated family members as a ‘lovely boy’
Kin instructed media Randhawa, a former Victor Harbor College graduate, has been working as an apprentice barber at an area hairdressers – the place he’s extremely popular amongst purchasers – and has been relationship his highschool sweetheart for the previous 12 months.
They mentioned Randhawa, who has desires of changing into a physician, has by no means had an alcoholic drink, taken medicine, or smoked cigarettes.
Apart from work, he helped rescue canines inside the space and cherished spending time together with his two pet Akitas, Hachi and Bella, who he walked each day.
On high of his apprenticeship, he was additionally contemplating persevering with his training at college.
Pals say Randhawa’s tight-knit household, who dwell in Encounter Bay, are well-known in the area people and are ‘devastated’ by the crash.
They’ve employed former 9 Community newsreader Georgina McGuiness as a media advisor and barrister Jane Abbey KC to assist with Randhawa’s authorized case.
The recent perception comes because the allegations levelled towards Randhawa had been laid naked in Christies Seashore Magistrates Court docket on Monday.
In keeping with court docket paperwork, police will allege Randhawa precipitated dying by harmful driving based mostly on the accounts of three eyewitnesses who had been with Mr Stevens on Friday night time.
It’s believed Mr Stevens – the son of SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens – had been staying at his household’s seaside home and was ready at a close-by bus cease to for a shuttle bus to schoolies festivities on the time of the alleged crash.
Charlie is pictured together with his dad, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens
Tributes have poured in on-line for Charlie, who had just lately began a carpentry apprenticeship
Police will declare that moments earlier than the tragedy Mr Stevens had ‘flagged down’ Randhawa as he drove previous to see if they might get a experience, however there was not sufficient room for all of them.
Day by day Mail Australia doesn’t recommend there was any animosity between the teams.
Police will allege that as Randhawa drove away, the three witnesses had been standing on the grass verge on the highway’s western facet whereas Mr Stevens was close to the south-bound visitors lane.
Because the group continued strolling towards the gravel verge, Randhawa carried out a U-turn, began to journey on the wrong facet of the highway and struck Mr Stevens, police allege.
Nevertheless, a feminine passenger in Randhawa’s automotive has given police a second model of occasions, claiming she noticed Mr Stevens ‘run throughout the highway, into the trail’ of the car.
She allegedly noticed a couple of males strolling on the western facet of the highway and partially on the footpath, in addition to one other male on the jap facet of the highway.
She alleges the male on the jap facet of the highway ran throughout the highway into the trail of Randhawa’s automotive.
The witness, police allege, instructed officers Randhawa drove a brief distance away, the place he referred to as his mom to ask whether or not he ought to name police or go to a police station in individual.
The witness allegedly mentioned police turned up whereas Randhawa was on the telephone and he surrendered himself.
Flowers and teddy bears have been left on the web site of the alleged hit and run in honour of Mr Stevens
Household pals say Randhawa (pictured) is a family-oriented child who had desires of changing into a physician
On Saturday, Randhawa’s mom shared an announcement providing her condolences to the Stevens household.
‘I prolong my deepest attainable sympathies to the Stevens household and my coronary heart is breaking to think about the struggling and ache they’re experiencing,’ she mentioned.
‘Out of respect and acknowledging that that is now a matter for the courts, I gained’t be saying something additional at the moment.’
Randhawa was later charged with inflicting dying by harmful driving, aggravated driving with out due care, leaving the scene of a crash after inflicting dying and failing to really reply questions.
If convicted, he faces a most 15 years in jail and disqualification from holding or acquiring a driver’s licence for 10 years or such longer interval because the court docket orders.
Police are investigating if the magnetic blue 2011 Volkswagen Golf hatchback Randhawa was allegedly driving was permitted to be pushed by a P-plater.
In keeping with on-line automotive information, the five-door Golf can attain 100km/hm in lower than six seconds. The automotive retails for $52,490 model new or as much as $16,000 second hand.
Below driving licence legal guidelines, P-platers are barred from driving sure automobiles which can be thought-about ‘excessive efficiency’ automobiles.
Household pals have mentioned the automotive was a ‘normal version’.
In the meantime, tributes have begun to amass exterior the bus station the place the alleged accident unfolded on Friday – the primary night time of schoolies celebrations.
Randhawa’s mom issued an announcement on Saturday providing her condolences to the Stevens household.
Charlie Stevens, 18, was in Goolwa Seashore celebrating schoolies on Friday when he was allegedly struck by a automotive on Seashore Rd at about 9pm
Charlie was flown to hospital in a critical situation following the collision. Image: 7 NEWS
‘I prolong my deepest attainable sympathies to the Stevens household and my coronary heart is breaking to think about the struggling and ache they’re experiencing,’ she mentioned in an announcement.
‘Out of respect and acknowledging that that is now a matter for the courts, I will not be saying something additional at the moment.’
In a household assertion from Sunday night time shared by SA Police, Commissioner Stevens and Mrs Stevens thanked the police, first responders and different emergency providers employees who attended the incident.
‘The Stevens household additionally want to thank the broader neighborhood for his or her assist throughout this tough time particularly the household acknowledge the devoted workers on the Flinders Medical Centre for his or her care and assist of Charlie and his household and pals.’
Day by day Mail Australia understands Commissioner Stevens will take indefinite depart to be together with his household as they grieve.
The court docket listening to continues.
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