Harris Park: Gagandeep Singh charged over reckless driving at Marion, Wigram streets

A reckless SUV driver who stunned onlookers when he ploughed into a fence at a busy western Sydney intersection – narrowly avoiding a child – has learned his punishment. Watch the video.

A driver who shamelessly did doughnuts through a Harris Park roundabout before crashing into a fence while onlookers dodged him will be free to drive again in three months.

Gagandeep Singh’s case was listed at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, more than a month after he crashed into a fence near the notorious Wigram and Marion street roundabout.

Disturbing video recorded on a phone shows the 22-year-old driving a four-wheel drive wildly through a roundabout on Wednesday, February 12 at 7.45pm when it was still light.

The clip shows a male sticking out of the sunroof while the vehicle circles the roundabout before it crashes into a barrier where witnesses allege it was “six inches’’ from hitting a child.

Cumberland police charged Singh with driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, and having a passenger 16 years or older not properly wearing a seatbelt.

A crowd gathered after the SUV crashed into a barrier at the intersection of Wigram and Marion streets.

A charge of negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm) was dismissed.

The hooligan was dealt with under section 196, which allowed the case to be heard and determined in his absence. He did not enter pleas.

Singh’s passenger was not wearing a seatbelt.

Magistrate Peter Feather convicted Singh, fined him $2000 and disqualified from driving until June 27.

Dangerous driving at the intersection has raised the community’s ire including business owners such as Jaipur Sweets owner Narinder Singh who blamed “show-off culture” for turning Harris Park into a “criminal hub”.

The SUV damaged the fence but could have been catastrophic towards humans.

Singh can drive again in another three months.

Parramatta Council has proposed adding traffic-calming devices near the “hotspot” roundabout in the neighbourhood also known as Little India.

“A recent crash … into a planter box and fence, narrowly missing pedestrians, highlighted the need for better safety measures at the roundabout,’’ it said in a statement.

“The local police have also raised concerns and reached out to council to discuss strategies for preventing future incidents, including bollards and pedestrian fencing.’’

As an immediate step, the council has proposed to install four speed cushions near the roundabout to reduce speed.

Each cushion will be 12m from the roundabout, except on Wigram St’s south side where a different space is required because of the pedestrian crossing.