Levi James in court for hit-and-run of Alphonse Ginn

A former Gympie High student eventually handed himself into police after hitting a man with his car and driving off in 2021. Read what the court heard.

A 32-year-old father-of-four was sentenced in Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday for a 2021 hit and run that left a young Gympie man in an induced coma.

Levi James was convicted of failing to immediately stop and assist, and failing to comply with the duties of a driver involved in a crash following the incident near Gympie Central Shopping Centre late last year.

Twenty-one-year old Alphonse Ginn, new to Gympie at the time, was hit by a vehicle while walking along Hilton Rd with his sister and a friend about 10pm on November 5.

Crash investigations revealed it was possible Mr Ginn was carried by the vehicle for 3m, but could not be confirmed, the court heard.

“He was essentially thrown through the air,” police prosecutor Michael Phillips told the court.

A pool of blood was located at the scene.

Mr Ginn was rushed to Gympie Hospital with a head injury and then flown to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Alphonse Ginn was airlifted with head injuries after the hit and run. Photo: Kylie Buckles.

He was placed in an induced coma and put on life support, with family saying the “larrikin” was awake and alert several days later.

He was discharged six or seven days later, the court heard.

Mr Ginn suffered a fractured skull and needed his jaw wired.

Four days after, police released a CCTV image of a white Toyota Prado they alleged could help with investigations, asking for public assistance in identifying the vehicle and its driver.

The Prado was caught on camera driving west along Perseverance St shortly after Mr Ginn was hit.

Sgt Phillips told the court James later attended the police station to hand himself in and told police the vehicle was in a forestry.

Police searched the area, but the vehicle was never found, the court heard.

Duty lawyer Chris Anderson told the court that James accepted his actions could be considered “callous disregard”.

James was sentenced to four months jail, suspended for 12 months. Convictions were recorded.