Luigi Gligora, charged over CBD crash that seriously injured The Advertiser’s deputy editor, flags mental health defence

A speeding driver accused of crashing into a senior journalist in a shocking West Tce smash says he’s not guilty – and has flagged his defence.

A man accused of crashing into and severely injuring a senior journalist while driving at 170km/h through the CBD has pleaded not guilty – and flagged a mental health defence.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Luigi Gligora pleaded not guilty to one aggravated count of causing serious harm by dangerous driving and one aggravated count of careless driving.

Craig Caldicott, for Mr Gligora, conceded his client had a case to answer but said other factors may yet decide the matter.

“He is pleading not guilty, but can I just have it noted on the file that we will be seeking a Section 269 report?” he asked.

Luigi Gligora allegedly fled from police at high speed and he crashed into a car on the city’s edge, seriously injuring The Advertiser's deputy editor, Ben Hyde. Picture NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

Magistrate Simon Smart replied: “I’m not a notepad, Mr Caldicott.”

Section 269 of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act (1935) governs the handling of defendants with mental illness or incapacity.

If a person is found to be mentally incompetent, they are deemed to be not guilty of a criminal offence.

Instead of a prison sentence, they serve a limiting term – a period under mental health supervision – equal to the jail time an unaffected person would have received.

One of the most well-known Section 269 cases is that of Cy Walsh, who was found not guilty of murdering his Adelaide Crows coach father, Phil, due to undiagnosed schizophrenia.

More recently, driver Harrison Kitt was found not guilty of causing the deaths of two women by dangerous driving due to his undiagnosed bipolar disorder.

Mr Gligora, 47, was charged with one aggravated count of causing serious harm by dangerous driving and one aggravated count of careless driving.

Those charges arose from a crash on West Terrace in October last year that severely injured and burned The Advertiser’s deputy editor, Ben Hyde.

Previously, prosecutors have alleged Mr Gligora had driven away, at speed, from police on Currie St moments before the crash.

On Wednesday, Mr Smart remanded Mr Gligora on continuing bail to face the District Court in November.