Alex Ross Gill, accused over fatal boat collision at Swan Reach, appears in court
He left court arm-in-arm with his parents as a united front – but Alex Ross Gill’s family has been torn apart by tragedy.
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He left court arm-in-arm with his parents as a united front – but Alex Ross Gill’s family has been torn apart by tragedy.
Gill, 39, of Williamstown, stands accused of causing the death of his cousin, Chad, in a Swan Reach boating crash – and with trying to impede the police investigation.
He is further accused of seriously injuring one of their friends, Glen Justice, who remains in hospital in a serious condition.
Gill’s appearance in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday came at the end of a tumultuous 72 hours for his family and detectives.
It began on Friday night when, police allege, two men were thrown from a 4m aluminium boat in an incident on the River Murray.
Chad, 37, of Gawler South, and Mr Justice, 40, of Gawler East, were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
In the immediate aftermath, police said they believed no other vessel had been involved in the crash. On Saturday night, Chad – a father of three – died of his injuries in hospital.
On Sunday, Alex Gill was arrested and charged with causing Chad’s death, and serious harm to Mr Justice, by dangerous driving.
It is the second time in four years that the extended Gill family has experienced tragedy relating to a crash.
In 2015, Chad’s father-in-law, Michael Tully, was killed in a vehicle crash at Springton.
Mr Tully, 59, was on a Gawler Wheelers social ride when he struck the back of a station wagon. Mr Tully – father of Chad’s wife, Janelle – died at the scene. Following his death, his family called for the creation of more bike lanes along the state’s roads.
Members of Gill’s family packed the court’s public gallery. His counsel asked that he be released on bail, saying police did not oppose their application so long as he could provide a suitable address and a guarantor.
Police prosecutors asked that Gill also be banned from speaking to Mr Justice or any other potential witnesses.
Magistrate Paul Foley released Gill on $5000 bail, ordering he live at his home address and that his father serve as his guarantor.
He ordered Gill to face court again in June.
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