Freshwater Senior Campus: Man crushed against school fence by his own car

A man was crushed against the fence of a Sydney high school by his own car after he tried to stop it rolling down a hill with no one inside.

A man in his 70s was crushed against a fence by his own car at Freshwater Senior Campus, in Bennett St, Freshwater, after he tried to stop the vehicle rolling down a hill on Thursday afternoon. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

A man suffered massive leg injuries when he was crushed against a school fence by his own car in a bizarre accident on Sydney’s northern beaches on Thursday.

Witnesses say the man in is 70s had tried to stop his hatchback from rolling down a hill at the rear of Freshwater Senior Campus at about 1pm.

The car had been parked in nearby Brighton St when it apparently started moving downhill into Bennett St, along the eastern edge of the high school.

It may have been parked in a driveway of a residence.

A man in his 70s was crushed against a fence by his own car at Freshwater Senior Campus, in Bennett St, Freshwater. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

A witness, Nina, 20, who did not want to be identified, said it looked like the man was trying to jump into the passenger seat of the rolling Kia.

“He got in and then it looked like he was trying to grab the steering wheel,” Nina said.

“Then it sort of bumped along the kerb and then up on the grass and ended up against the fence.

The man had been pinned by his legs when the left side of the car hot the school fence. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

“But his legs were sticking out the door”.

An NSW Ambulance Inspector at the scene, Ronald Mahwinney said the car hit a street sign as it mounted the natures trip in Bennett St before sideswiping an energy transformer box before wedging itself against the school fence.

The man was trapped by his lower limbs outside the vehicle, before being freed by emergency services including NSW Fire and Rescue.

Emergency services in Bennett St, Freshwater. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

“The man has a badly broken ankle, and possibly a thigh.

“The patient was initially in a dangerous position trapped between a fence and his car, causing

serious injuries to his lower limbs.

“Paramedics administered pain relief before working with Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW

Police to free him.”

The man was rushed by ambulance to Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition with a police “green light” escort.

He was accompanied by a doctor from the CareFlight emergency helicopter which landed on the school grounds.