Forest Way, Belrose: Nightshift nurse’s car hits schoolboy after she ran red light

A nightshift nurse on her way home said it was a ‘momentary lapse in attention’ that caused her to run over a schoolboy on a northern beaches’ pedestrian crossing. See what happened in court

Na Li, 32, of Belrose, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday, where she was convicted of running over and injuring a schoolboy, 12, on a northern beaches' pedestrian crossing when she drove her car through a red light. Picture: Manly Daily

A nurse, returning home from a night shift at an aged care home, ran a red light and ran over a boy on his way to a northern beaches’ school.

Na Li, 41, went through the turn left red arrow at a set of traffic lights at Belrose and struck the 12-year-old boy with her vehicle on a pedestrian crossing

The boy was knocked down when he was hit by the left front corner of the car before the front wheel ran over his right ankle, leaving him with cuts, abrasions and soft tissue damage, Manly Local Court heard on Wednesday.

He was taken by ambulance to Northern Beaches Hospital after the collision at about 8am on November 10 last year.

A boy, 12, was injured when he was hit by a car, driven by Na Li, at a set of traffic lights at the intersection of Forest Way and Morgan Rd, Belrose, just after 8am on November 10, 2023. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

The boy was hit at the intersection of Forest way and Morgan Rd while on his way to the nearby independent John Colet Primary School.

Li, a mother of two small children from Belrose, pleased guilty to one count each of cause bodily harm by misconduct in charge of a motor vehicle and negligent driving.

Her solicitor Thomas Skinner told the court that the incident occurred after Li had a “momentary loss of attention”.

Mr Skinner pointed out that she immediately stopped the car and helped bystanders and witnesses give aid to the injured boy.

In a facts sheet tendered to court Northern Beaches Police said Li was “extremely remorseful for her actions” at the scene.

Na Li, 32, of Belrose, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday, where she was disqualified from driving for running over and injuring a schoolboy on a pedestrian crossing. Picture: Manly Daily

Police stated that Li had been waiting to turn left from Morgan Rd, at the traffic lights for about 50 seconds when the pedestrian signal for the boy to cross Forest Way turned green.

“The victim immediately began to run across he roadway, without looking left or right,” according to the facts sheet.

“At the same time (Li) accelerated and turned left onto Forest Way.”

“The accused struck the victim with the left quarter panel (of her car).”

Na Li stopped to help give aid to the injured boy. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

Magistrate Robert William told Li that it was “quite fortunate” that more serious injuries were not sustained by the boy.

Mr Williams convicted her on both counts. She was disqualified from driving for 12 months and handed a 12-month Community Correction Order on the cause bodily harm by misconduct in charge of a motor vehicle charge and fined $600 for negligent driving.

Li is appealing the severity of the sentence in the Sydney Downing Centre District Court on May 22.