Court documents reveal for the first time what happened before Dhirren Randhawa hit Charlie Stevens at Schoolies

After 11 months of speculation, the District Court has opened its file on the moments before Charlie Stevens was struck by driver Dhirren Singh Randhawa.

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Charlie Stevens “moved into the path” of Dhirren Singh Randhawa, who “turned” his car “in an effort to avoid hitting him” but was “unsuccessful”, court documents reveal.

A two-page document, released to The Advertiser by the District Court, outlines the full events of November 17, 2023 for the first time.

Jointly authored by prosecutors and Randhawa’s defence counsel, the “statement of agreed facts” sets out the factual basis upon which the 19-year-old is to be sentenced.

The statement reveals:

CHARLIE and three of his friends had gathered at the Goolwa Beach shack of his father, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, before attending schoolies celebrations.

THEY flagged down Randhawa’s Volkswagen Golf for a ride to Victor Harbor but he refused, saying he did not want to risk losing demerit points.

SOME of Charlie’s group “were drinking alcohol”, and their conversation with Randhawa was “at all times amicable”.

RANDHAWA was driving back along Beach Rd in the direction he came, having performed a U-turn, when the collision occurred.

Charlie Stevens. Picture: Supplied

Dhirren Singh Randhawa. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“As Randhawa proceeded north, he could see some members of the group standing in the northbound lane, near the location where he had left them moments before,” the document states.

“Randhawa was accelerating as he approached the group … the young men moved west toward the verge.

“Randhawa moved across the white painted broken centre line into the southbound lane to allow a safe distance to pass.

“As Randhawa proceeded, he focused upon the group to his left … he had not noticed one of their number, Charlie Stevens, was on the eastern side of Beach Rd.

“As Randhawa reached the group, Charlie suddenly moved into his field of vision from Randhawa’s right.

“At that point, Charlie was on the southbound lane of Beach Rd moving west and into the path of the oncoming Golf.

“He then turned to make his way back east toward the eastern verge in an attempt to avoid the Golf.

“When Randhawa first saw Charlie he did not brake or decelerate, but turned in a north-westerly direction away from Charlie in an effort to avoid hitting him.

“He was unsuccessful … the Golf struck Charlie.”

Flowers on Beach Road, Goolwa, where Charlie was struck by Randhawa’s car. Picture: Morgan Sette

Randhawa, 19, of Encounter Bay, was originally charged with causing Charlie’s death by dangerous driving.

He instead pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of aggravated driving without due care, and to leaving the scene of an accident scene after causing death.

Randhawa faces a maximum 15-year prison term, and a minimum 10-year licence disqualification.

Expert reports, including toxicology and crash reconstruction, played a key role in the resolution of the case through plea bargain.

On Thursday, Randhawa publicly apologised for his crime while the Stevens family outlined their ongoing grief and distress over Charlie’s death.

Dhirren Randhawa and his Amreeta Stara outside court. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

In their statement of agreed facts, prosecution and defence counsel state Charlie and his friends were “at the Stevens family’s shack” to “attend schoolies celebrations”.

They say the group left about 9pm to catch a bus, from the Beach Rd stop, into Victor Harbor.

“At about 9pm, Randhawa was driving his Volkswagen Golf south on Beach Rd … Montana Bowd, his girlfriend, was with him, sitting in the front passenger seat,” the document states.

“As Randhawa approached the section of Beach Rd where Charlie and his friends were waiting for the bus, the four young men made their way onto the roadway and flagged him down.

“Randhawa stopped to speak to the group … they asked him for a lift to Victor Harbor … he declined, telling the group that he was on his provisional licence and did not want to risk losing demerit points.”

It says the group “offered to pay” Randhawa for a ride but “he still declined”.

“Some of the group were drinking alcohol … the conversation was at all times amicable,” it says.

It says Randhawa and Ms Bowd continued south along Beach Rd before he performed a U-turn.

That section of Beach Rd, it says, has two overhead street lights but neither provided illumination beyond “their relative vicinity”.

“The area of Beach Rd between the overhead street lights was dark and unlit by anything other than ambient light,” it states.

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and his wife, Emma, outside court. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

The document states that, “immediately following upon impact”, he “heard yelling”.

“Believing that the group was a danger to his and Ms Bowd’s safety, he decided not to stop,” it says.

“He continued to drive north, turning off Beach Rd into a side street, where he stopped.”

It says Charlie’s friends called Triple 0, while Randhawa called his mother but received no answer, and then called his sister.

While in contact with his family, he resumed driving toward Port Elliott.

He and Ms Bowd passed a police car and, as it did a U-turn, Randhawa pulled over.

“Immediately upon speaking to the officers, he volunteered that he had hit someone with his vehicle,” the document states.

“Randhawa was tested for drugs and alcohol … the testing showed that there was no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time his Golf struck Charlie.”

Judge Joanne Tracey will sentence Randhawa, who is on continuing bail, later this month.

Originally published as Court documents reveal for the first time what happened before Dhirren Randhawa hit Charlie Stevens at Schoolies