Daniel James Smith applied for home detention bail, charged with endangering life

A Port Pirie man is accused of nearly causing a head-on collision with a B-double truck after his actions put his father’s car directly into the opposite lane, a court has heard.

A man is accused of nearly causing a head-on collision with a B-double truck after he grabbed the steering wheel from his terrified father, a court has heard.

Daniel James Smith, 33, applied for home detention bail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, after allegedly injuring his father before endangering his life.

A prosecutor told the court they were opposed to all forms of bail, due to the seriousness of the allegations and for the protection of Mr Smith’s parents.

The court heard Mr Smith’s father suffered a broken right wrist – possibly requiring surgery – after allegedly being pushed over and punched twice to the neck on January 11 at Crystal Brook.

Daniel James Smith applied for home detention bail, charged with endangering his father’s life. Picture: Peter Taylor

Two cars and the front door of the property were also allegedly damaged during the incident.

The court heard Mr Smith’s father drove him away from the family home to de-escalate the situation, but pulled over on the Augusta Highway, just north of Crystal Brook as Mr Smith was still highly agitated.

“He started driving again and at the end of the overtaking lane he says that the defendant grabbed the steering wheel, pushing it to the right and causing the vehicle that he was driving to drive directly into the incoming lane whilst a B-double truck was heading towards them,” the prosecutor said.

“He thought that they would collide with the truck head-on.

“He managed to pull the steering wheel back to the left to evade a collision, but nearly lost control of the vehicle.”

Mr Smith is charged with endangering life and assault causing harm.

He is yet to enter any pleas.

The prosecutor said Mr Smith was sentenced to a 10-day suspended sentence bond in September for affray.

The court heard Mr Smith could live with his cousin in Port Pirie if released.

Magistrate Oliver Koehn ordered a home detention bail report and adjourned the application until next week.