A teenager has been charged after allegedly crashing into and killing a 76-year-old man who was riding a mobility scooter in Kingston on Thursday, 22 February.
Police say the crash happened around 10.40am when a red Ford Focus failed to stop at a sign on Anthony Street.
The car collided with a Holden Barina before hitting the man, who died at the scene.
The driver of the Barina suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Bystanders restrained the alleged driver, a 17-year-old from Waterford West, until police arrived and took him into custody.
A search of his backpack allegedly uncovered cannabis, prescription medication not prescribed to him, and two stolen cards.
A male and female passenger fled the scene on foot.
The Ford Focus was not reported stolen.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark White provided an update on the case at a press conference this morning.
“We have been able to identify all three occupants of the vehicle. One passenger has been interviewed, while efforts are ongoing to locate and speak with the third individual,” he said.
“No charges have been laid against the passenger at this stage and the 17-year-old driver has had bail opposed, and the matter is before the court today.”
Inspector White also noted that the driver was known to police and was allegedly involved in multiple property-related crimes, including burglary and vehicle theft, before the incident.
“We are still piecing together the timeline leading up to the crash, including where the vehicle had been and what the occupants were doing,” he said.
“From my perspective it’s a message for everybody around to make sure if you’re driving a car you’ve got to be really alert of what’s going on. The fact the car went through a stop sign was really the catalyst for what occurred.”
Detective Chief Inspector White acknowledged the role of the community during the incident.
“There were a number of members of the community who provided medical assistance to the 76-year-old man that was struck by the vehicle and they did their very best to try and provide what assistance they could until QAS arrived,” he said.
“I’d also like to acknowledge the other members of the community who were able to apprehend the male driver. The assistance provided by the community in that instance was exceptional and I’d just like to acknowledge that as part of this media release today.”
