Watanobbi: Luke James Hill appeals sentence over crash that left passenger quadriplegic

A disqualified P-plater made it 100m down the road when he rolled a car three times, leaving his female passenger a quadriplegic, before fleeing the scene, a court has heard.

Luke James Hill, 30, of Wyongah, lost control on Golf Links Drive, Watanobbi, and struck this tree (right) before rolling the car he was driving three times leaving his female passenger a paraplegic. Picture: Google

A P-plate driver who was disqualified until 2026 was captured on a recorded phone call telling a friend he was “f*cked” after rolling a car three times and leaving his female passenger “a paraplegic for the rest of her life”.

Appearing via video link, Luke James Hill faced Gosford District Court last week where he appealed the severity of his jail sentence after pleading guilty to several offences.

The 30-year-old from Wyongah was sentenced in Wyong Local Court in February to 18 months jail with a non-parole period of 12 months for failing to stop and assist after a crash, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, driving while disqualified and refusing to reveal the identity of a driver.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to wear a seatbelt and driving with an unrestrained passenger, which were placed on a certificate to be taken into account when he was sentenced.

An agreed set of facts states he went to a woman’s house on Golf Links Drive, Watanobbi, on the afternoon of February 5 last year.

Hill faced an appeal at Gosford District Court last week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

The facts state the woman had consumed about six or seven alcoholic drinks and knew she was unable to drive when they decided to go to a nearby 7-Eleven service station for some food about 1am the next morning.

“The victim handed the keys to the offender and requested that he drive,” the facts state.

Hill and the woman got into her silver Nissan Murano with neither one putting on their seatbelt. The facts state it was “pouring rain” at the time.

The woman was flown to RNS in a critical condition with fractured vertebrae. (File image)

Hill made it 118m down the road when he lost control and hit a large tree, causing the car to roll three times before coming to rest on the passenger side.

“The victim recalled the car rolling but she then blacked out and when she came to, she could not feel her legs,” the facts state.

“The offender, knowing that the vehicle had been involved in an impact occasioning grievous bodily harm to the victim, exited the car and walked away. He did not assist the victim in any way.”

A number of neighbours heard the collision and called emergency services.

Some of the residents saw Hill limping away without a shirt on and asked “Are you OK?” He replied “yep” and kept walking.

Police arrived a short time later and found the woman in the rear passenger side of the car up against the window.

“Her legs were in front of her body and her torso was folded and resting on top of her legs,” the facts state.

A police officer asked her “Can you feel me touching your legs?” But she replied “no”.

The woman was taken to Wyong Christian School by ambulance where she was met by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter which flew her to Royal North Shore Hospital.

The woman was taken to Wyong Christian School by ambulance before being flwon to hospital. (File image)

“The victim underwent emergency surgery to fuse the (vertebrae) fractures and to decompress fluid build-up around her spinal cord,” the facts state.

“As a result of the C6 spinal cord injury the victim will need life long support and care as the injury has rendered her quadriplegic.”

The following day Hill was captured on a recorded conversation with another friend where he said “I f..ken nearly died, I was in this bad car accident and I f..ken nearly died”.

He also said “I rolled it three times” and the victim “is probably going to be a paraplegic for the rest of her life”.

A forensic examination of the car revealed the front tyres were a bit worn but there was nothing else mechanically that could have contributed to the crash.

Hill was arrested six weeks later and taken to Wyong Police Station where he refused to

tell police who was driving.

“I’ve got nothing. No comment. None of that makes sense. So I’ll need legal to go over read it, to explain it to me and stuff,” he told police.

His lawyer told the District Court Hill had “longstanding issues with drug abuse”, he “wasn’t thinking at the time” and it was uncharacteristic of him not to stay and help his passenger.

Judge Justin Smith found Hill still “lacked any real insight” to his offending and blamed it on his addiction to ice at the time.

Judge Smith dismissed the appeal and upheld the sentence imposed by the Local Court.

Hill will first be eligible for parole on February 8 next year.