Andergrove hit and run: Police appealing for witnesses

A shocked resident who was the first on scene after a man was seriously injured in an alleged hit and run has recalled the harrowing scene outside his home. WARNING: Distressing content

An Andergrove truck driver has recalled the harrowing scene outside his home where a man was seriously injured in a shocking alleged hit and run incident.

“We just saw the guy on the ground and … a lot of blood,” Mark Alterator said, adding he and his partner rushed to help the man.

“We had a pillow, a doona, a towel.

“He was screaming … he thought he was going to die.”

Andergrove resident Mark Alterator was one of the first on scene when a 38-year-old Mackay man was seriously injured after he was struck in a hit and run on Andergrove Rd just down from Ferngrove Lane. Picture: Janessa Ekert

He and his partner were among the first on scene when the shocking incident occurred on Andergrove Road, Mackay, just down from Ferngrove Lane, about 7.45pm on Sunday.

Police confirmed a 57-year-old Andergrove man has since “self-presented to police this morning and is assisting with investigations”.

The pair were locking the house up and about to go to bed when they heard “this almighty bang”.

“And here’s a fella just laying in the gutter … and he was a mess,” Mr Alterator said, adding there “was no car in sight” in the short time it took to run outside.

“All of his face was smashed in, his skull was opened up.”

Mr Alterator said his partner was “holding his head together with a towel”.

“(She) was just covered in blood.”

Mr Alterator said the incident had left them both in shock.

Police are appealing for witnesses after the incident left a 38-year-old Mackay man with significant head injuries.

A 38-year-old Mackay man was seriously injured after he was struck in a hit and run on Andergrove Rd just down from Ferngrove Lane. Picture: Janessa Ekert

He was taken to Mackay Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Mr Alterator has lived in the suburb for 12 months and said he heard cars hooning along Andergrove Rd “every night”.

“There’s been more than a dozen near misses here,” he said.

“Idiots, just idiots in cars.”

Initial investigations suggest the man was walking on Andergrove Rd when a vehicle struck him about 7.45pm on Sunday just down from a bend in the road after the turn off to Ferngrove Lane.

Mr Alterator said he was concerned about reckless drivers and hooning along the street in front of his home.

Pointing to a nearby bend just after the turn off to Ferngrove Lane, he said drivers “come round here that bloody quick”.

Just before the bend is a 30kmh speed advisory sign, but the speed limit is 60kmh.

There is a 30kmh advisory speed sign just before a bend at the intersection of Andergrove Rd and Ferngrove Lane. A 38-year-old Mackay man was seriously injured in a hit and run incident barely 50ms from the sign. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Mr Alterator believes there should be a permanent camera installed at the bend to capture reckless and speeding drivers.

“As soon as it rains you can hear them coming and they just tear up and down here,” he said.

Nearby resident Ruahini Knauth also raised concern over traffic along Andergrove Lane.

“There is always cars and motorbikes zooming at all different hours,” she said.

“Especially coming around this corner,” she added referring to the nearby bend.

Ms Knauth also added the area was “poorly lit”.

“There’s no light there really to light up in case someone did cross the road,” she said.

“I’m not surprised that someone got hurt because there’s just so many people hooning up and down all hours of the night.”

A 38-year-old Mackay man was seriously injured after he was struck in a hit and run on Andergrove Rd just down from Ferngrove Lane. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Police allege the driver and vehicle fled the scene without raising the alarm or rendering aid to the man.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said a 57-year-old Andergrove man “self-represented to police this morning and is assisting with investigations”.

“A white utility has been seized for mechanical inspection in relation to the incident,” the QPS spokeswoman said.

No charges have been laid in relation to the incident.

Two ambulance crews attended the scene after receiving a call about 8pm.

Critical care paramedics transported the man to Mackay Base Hospital with significant head injuries.

The police are urging the driver of the vehicle to come forward and calling on members of the public who may have footage of the incident or any information relevant to the investigation to contact police.