Murray Bridge driver Paul Logan pleads guilty to causing serious harm in hit and run

A father was driving drunk and disqualified when caused a crash and sent a motorcyclist flying into a light pole – and then fled, leaving him seriously hurt.

A father has pleaded guilty to crashing his car into a motorcyclist, causing him serious injuries, before fleeing the scene.

Paul Logan, 55, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, after leaving the other driver, William Esson Cooper, with a broken pelvis and a collapsed lung on a Murray Bridge road.

Sean Nottle, for Logan, told the court the matter had resolved and his client would be pleading guilty to three charges. Six were initially laid by prosecution.

Logan, of Murray Bridge, pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Mr Cooper by dangerous driving.

The court heard the offence was aggravated because Logan was over the legal limit and was disqualified from driving at the time of the offending.

Paul Logan leaving Adelaide Magistrates Court after he pleaded guilty to causing serious harm by dangerous driving. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE/Emma Brasier

Logan also pleaded guilty to driving without due care or attention and failing to satisfy his statutory obligations.
During Logan’s successful home detention bail bid in November, a prosecutor told the court witnesses saw Logan’s white Hyundai collide with a motorbike at the intersection of Adelaide Road and Old Princes Highway in Murray Bridge on November 6.

“The motorcycle mounted an adjacent traffic island and collided with a light pole leaving the victim with serious injuries including a broken pelvis and a collapsed lung,” the prosecutor said.

“The defendant failed to stop and render assistance and drove away from the collision scene.

“He was followed by a member of the public into the township of Murray Bridge where a witness was able to stop the defendant and take his keys, however, the defendant left his vehicle and was not located by police.”

The motorbike rider on the ground following the Murray Bridge hit-run crash. Picture: Supplied

The court heard Logan presented to the Murray Bridge Police Station at 9pm – five hours after the crash – where he returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.232.

The prosecutor told the court Logan admitted to being the driver at the time of the collision.

“He states in an interview that he consumed one standard can of Canadian Club prior to driving,” the prosecutor said.

“He was aware that a collision had occurred, (he) stopped and asked the alleged victim if it was okay.

“They gave a thumbs up gesture and the defendant continued on his way, he also stated that he consumed a bottle of alcohol and two cans of beer between decamping from his vehicle before presenting himself at the Murray Bridge police station.”

On Thursday, Magistrate Simon Smart committed Logan to the District Court for arraignment in November.