Liam Summers: Man pleads guilty to horror hit-and-run on Marine Pde, Southport

An unlicensed driver ran two red lights as he fled the scene of a crash that left a 62yo pedestrian stranded in a gutter with critical injuries. Find out what happened in court.

Liam Jay Summers has pleaded guilty to a horror hit-and-run on Marine Pde in Southport, which left a 62yo woman with "extreme" internal injuries. Picture: file

A man has been granted immediate parole eligibility after a Gold Coast hit-and-run that left a woman stranded in a gutter with critical injuries.

Liam Jay Summers, 34, pleaded guilty last week to running down the 62-year-old on Marine Pde, Southport on the evening of September 7 last year.

Southport Magistrates Court was told Summers did not see the woman on the road as he drove through a roundabout, and that neither he nor his passenger initially realised they had hit a person.

It was heard the pedestrian became lodged under Summers’ car and was dragged along the road surface for about 30m before coming free and falling into a nearby gutter.

An unlicensed Summers ran two red lights after leaving the scene.

The woman’s serious injuries were detailed during Summers’ final sentencing on Tuesday.

She suffered burns and numerous fractured bones – including her pelvis and several ribs – along with extensive internal injuries, requiring multiple surgeries and weeks in hospital.

The court was told the woman – who had since made a significant recovery – could have lost the use of one of her legs and faced other permanent health issues without complex treatment.

Defence barrister Nick McGhee, instructed by Bamberry Lawyers, said in the earlier part of his client’s sentencing that Summers relapsed into drug use and crime amid a child custody dispute with his ex-partner.

The court was told Summers had used his months in custody to complete several qualifications and hoped for a fresh start interstate upon his release.

Summers pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm, failing to remain at an incident, failing to comply with the duties of a driver involved in a crash, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and several unrelated offences.

He was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole eligibility, with almost six months declared as time already served.

Man ‘unaware’ he hit woman in horror hit-and-run

A driver who mowed down a woman – pinning her beneath his car and dragging her for metres – says he was completely unaware he had hit a person.

Liam Jay Summers collided with the pedestrian when driving through a roundabout on Marine Pde, Southport late at night on September 7 last year, Southport Magistrates Court was told.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Matt Thompson said the woman, 62, became lodged underneath Summers’ car as he kept driving and was dragged along the road for several metres.

Summers drove away from the scene without stopping to help the woman.

Sen Const. Thompson said she was rushed to hospital in a critical condition with extreme internal injuries and several bone fractures.

Defence barrister Nick McGhee, instructed by Bamberry Lawyers, said Summers checked for oncoming cars but did not see the woman dressed in dark clothing before driving through the roundabout.

Liam Jay Summers has pleaded guilty to a horror hit-and-run on Marine Pde in Southport, which left a 62yo woman with "extreme" internal injuries. Picture: file

“He had struck her unknowingly, but accepts he knows he hit something,” Mr McGhee said.

“The passenger in the car also, at that stage, wasn’t aware of what they had hit – from her recollection, she thought they may have hit an animal or an object.”

The court was told it was not alleged Summers was speeding before the hit-and-run, but he did run a red light minutes after leaving the scene.

It was heard Summers’ collision came amid a spree of break-ins across the Gold Coast, in which he managed to steal several expensive items including a Mercedes Benz and an $18,000 Rolex watch.

Mr McGhee said his client spiralled into drug use and crime after his father’s death in 2015, and relapsed last year due to a child custody battle with his ex-partner.

He said Summers was on parole at the time and had spent more than 300 days in custody since his arrest, with hopes to move interstate to live and work with family when released.

Summers pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention causing grievous bodily harm, failing to remain at an incident, failing to comply with the duties of a driver involved in a crash, and more than a dozen other offences.

Magistrate Sarah Thompson adjourned the proceedings part-heard to consider her sentence.

Summers’ matter will return to court next Tuesday, with the 34-year-old to appear via videolink.