Alex Townend: Father sentenced after reckless Nowra hit and run

A young father who seriously injured a man in a violent hit and run on the NSW south coast will spent the next few years behind bars after he was sentenced in the district court.

Alex Townend. Picture: Facebook

A young father will spend the next few years behind bars after seriously injuring a man he hit with his vehicle – while driving unlicensed – in the Nowra CBD.

Alex Townend, 27, was sentenced in Nowra District Court on Friday, after previously pleading guilty to reckless grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact and being an unlicensed driver.

The court heard the young Nowra father – who moved to Sydney while on bail – was arrested one day after the hit and run, before being granted bail following 20 days in custody.

Judge Christopher O’Brien read the agreed facts in court on Friday, which stated Townend and the victim – Calob Ellis who was 22 at the time – shared animosity toward each other.

The facts revealed Townend was turning onto the Princes Hwy from Plunket St, Nowra, on the afternoon of November 16, 2022, when Mr Ellis saw his car.

Calob Ellis was hit by Alex Townend at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Plunkett St, Nowra.

The court heard the victim made gestures toward Townend, stepping slightly onto the side of the road, when the Nowra father swerved into Ellis, hitting him and driving away.

Ellis hit the bonnet of the car before bouncing onto the road.

The court heard the collision fractured Ellis’ ribs and caused serious injuries to other parts of his body, resulting in a number of surgeries the same month.

Police attended Townend’s home the following day, where he made full admissions to being the driver before he was arrested and taken to the Nowra Police Station.

It was then revealed he was unlicensed at the time of the hit and run.

Alex Townend was sentenced in the Nowra District Court on Friday.

Townend’s defence barrister, Phillip Carey, said his client was a “good man” who had a young son he spent “every spare minute with”.

While Mr Carey said Townend struggled with drugs and alcohol, he submitted he was sober at the time of the incident.

He also noted while there was animosity between Townend and the victim, the two running into each other was a coincidence.

“[Townend] was not hunting him down, he did not plan to run him down with his car, it was a spur of the moment decision,” Mr Carey said.

However, the Crown prosecutor said the decision to run down Mr Ellis was “serious”, describing cars as “dangerous weapons”.

He said full-time custody would be the only appropriate punishment.

“The crime of driving a vehicle at someone is far more serious and dangerous than throwing a cricket bat, or something of the like,” he said.

Judge O’Brien agreed, saying “you’re lucky he wasn’t killed”.

“A sentence in court always has regard to the victim and one of the purposes of sentencing is to recognise the harm done,” he said.

Townend was convicted and sentenced to an aggregate term of three years and two months in prison, with a non parole period of 21 months.

The young father will be eligible for release in October, 2026, and will be disqualified from driving for three years.

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