Nathan Thomas fronts court after Corio hit-run, is granted bail

The teen allegedly behind the wheel in a hit-run that left a woman fighting for life has fronted court for the first time, as his lawyer raised questions about the prosecution’s case.

Police at the scene of an alleged hit-run in Corio. Picture: Mark Wilson

A teen driver accused of leaving a critically injured woman in a gutter after a hit-run went to a mate’s place and smoked weed before turning himself in, a court has heard.

Corio’s Nathan Thomas, 18, appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday for a bail hearing.

He is charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, careless driving, failing to stop, failing to render assistance and driving while suspended over the alleged hit-run collision at the intersection of Plantation Rd and Washington St before 7am on Sunday.

Police informant Detective Sergeant Peter Romanis of the Major Collision Investigation Unit (MCIU) told the court Thomas had completed a “burnout” at a roundabout on Plantation Rd immediately prior the crash.

Accused hit-run driver Nathan Thomas.

At about 6.45am, Mr Thomas allegedly hit a 43-year-old Corio woman with his car, throwing her into the air before she landed heavily about 25m away in a gutter.

The court heard the impact took place on the wrong side of the road, and that Mr Thomas did not stop and nearby residents called emergency services.

Police airwing located the car at the back of a vacant block in McKinley Ave, about 800m away.

The car had substantial damage to its windscreen, which was partially covered by a sun visor in an attempt to conceal the damage, Sgt Romanis said.

Police visited Mr Thomas’ parents home, the court heard, but he wasn’t there and his mother phoned him. He handed himself in just before 5pm, the court heard, too late for the police to conduct tests as to whether he was under the influence of any substances at the time of the accident.

Sgt Romanis told the court that when interviewed, Mr Thomas “admitted to being the driver and sole occupant” of the Holden and said he had been coming home from a friends’ house where he had stayed overnight.

Mr Thomas allegedly told he police he had been driving “normally”, had been obeying the speed limit, and that he did not see the woman until 1-2m away, when he “tried to swerve and brake”.

Mr Thomas told police he panicked and drove home, before telling his parents, the court heard, and afterwards travelled by bus to a friends’ house where he smoked “one or two bongs”.

But Sgt Romanis said there were “inconsistencies” in Mr Thomas’ version of events.

“When I spoke to his parents at 12.30, they said they hadn’t seen him all morning,” Sgt Romanis said.

The court also heard there were no skid marks at the scene, which would have been indicative of a driver hitting the brakes.

The court heard Thomas had no criminal convictions, but had received four cautions and had his licence suspended for speeding.

Mr Thomas’ lawyer, Hollie Lyons raised the possibility the collision was a suicide attempt by the alleged victim, who the court heard was standing on the road and acting “erratically”.

Sgt Romanis declined to speculate, but said police were investigating why she was on the road at that time.

Footage of the crash was played to magistrate Urfa Masood, but not to the court.

Ms Lyons, said she couldn’t see “how a plea would eventuate” at this stage, based on the footage.

She said it wasn’t the case of “some fanciful defence” but that there were issues with the prosecution’s ability to prove the most serious charge.

Ms Lyons submitted that the incident had been “terribly traumatic” for Mr Thomas, and said there were compelling reasons for granting bail.

These included that it was his first time in custody, that he had strong supports in the community and that he had a suitable address to be bailed to.

The police prosecutor, who opposed bail, said it was dangerous to speculate about the alleged victim’s mental state and told the court Mr Thomas’ post-crash actions were a “gross breach of community standards”.

“He was more concerned about concealing the car than assisting the victim,” the prosecutor said, noting the impact took place on the wrong side of the road at “enough speed” to hurl the alleged victim 20 plus metres.

Ms Masood granted bail, noting that there was “significant investigation” that still needed to be done.

Mr Thomas will return to court for a committal mention on December 3.

Originally published as Nathan Thomas fronts court after Corio hit-run, is granted bail