Dicky Press and partner Naomi Braden killed in hit-run at Port Augusta West
A 39-year-old man will face court at Port Augusta on Monday after being charged for running over a beloved father and his partner.
Police & Courts
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A beloved couple have died after being hit by a car on a dark road on the outskirts of Port Augusta.
The driver did not stop at the scene and has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of a crash and one count of aggravated driving without due care.
Dicky Press, 50, and Naomi Braden, 44, were walking down Caroona Rd on their way home around 2.20am on Saturday when they were hit by the car.
Both died at the scene.
The couple’s devastated family gathered at their home in the hours after the crash but were too distraught to make any comment.
The 39-year-old male driver from Port Augusta attended the Port Augusta Police Station hours after the crash.
He was refused bail and will appear in the Port Augusta Magistrates Court on Monday.
The man’s Toyota Kluger was found just after 12.30pm and is undergoing forensic examination.
David Oag, who lives near the crash, witnessed the accident.
“We had children running through the property at about 1am, so that woke us up,” Mr Oag said.
“We called they police and were still awake at 2am.
“We also had the same thing the night before so I was pretty hyper vigilant to voices.”
Just after 2am Mr Oag said he heard adult voices and went to investigate.
“I went down to the fence and could heard the voices down on the road,” he said.
“I could see a car coming along and thought that the car would illuminate the people on the road.
“There was a split second where there was a silhouette of a person, then the car went whack. It was almost instantaneous.”
Mr Oag watched as the car drove a hundred metres up the road before stopping.
“I watched it stop and ran inside to grab the phone and call the police,” he said.
“By the time I got back, the car was gone.”
Despite the tragic result of the crash Mr Oag said he didn’t think the car was speeding.
“This road is sometimes used as a racetrack, but this wasn’t one of those times.”
The road is unlit and has a gravel shoulder.
The couple were believed to be walking just on the edge of the road, returning from a nearby pub, when they were hit by the car.
Their deaths bring the number of lives lost in SA this year to 13 compared to 15 at the same time last year.