Jake Gray appeals jail sentence after Bendigo, Spring Gully Rd hit-run crash of Shane Keely
A hit-run driver who left a Bendigo man lying in the street with bone protruding from his leg has been granted appeal bail just two hours after he was jailed.
Bendigo
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A street racer who left a Bendigo roof painter lying on the road with bone protruding from his leg as he fled the scene was jailed for just two hours before walking free on appeal bail.
Quarry Hill man Jake Gray, 29, was jailed for four months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury and fleeing the scene of an accident after a horrific hit-run on Spring Gully Rd in 2023.
Gray was street racing another car along Lawson St about 10pm on March 30, reaching speeds of up to 130km/h in a 60km/h zone, when they came tearing out onto Spring Gully Rd.
The other driver braked suddenly and Gray swerved, hitting pedestrian Shane Keely who was standing in the roadway with his dog Nixon just metres from his home.
The Bendigo roof painter was thrown over the bonnet and roof, and left lying in the roadway with bone protruding from his leg.
Gray fled the scene without stopping to call an ambulance, going home to hide the evidence of his involvement by replacing a damaged mirror and headlight.
When he spoke to police the next day he gave false information before later making a full confession.
The court heard Mr Keely had been left with lifelong injuries and was in pain every day.
Mr Keely, in a victim impact statement to the court, said Gray had taken every piece of enjoyment he had in his life when he crashed into him.
“All the things I enjoyed in life … every single thing is now filled with pain,” he said.
“My partner and my mum have to basically do everything for me.
“I can’t even get to the toilet or the kitchen (by myself).”
Mr Keely has since undergone seven surgeries – more than 30 hours under the knife – but may never recover the full use of his legs.
Looking at the road where he was hit outside his home gave him horrific flashbacks, Mr Keely told the court, and knowing Gray had been free to drive while on bail left Mr Keely with “extreme panic attacks”.
Mr Keely’s partner Saraya Theobold told the court she would “never forget” the horrific scream she heard beforeshe discovered her partner lying in the street.
She said it was “heartbreaking” to see the “strong confident” man crippled by “immobilising, terrible pain” and felt anger towards Gray for not having the “human decency” to pull over and call an ambulance.
Mr Keely’s mother, Joanne Russel, told the court seeing the images of her son “lying in the road in pain, with bones protruding from one leg and the other leg laying misshapen and tattered” would be burned in her mind forever.
She said her “heart and mind go through many moments of anguish” seeing her son struggle with pain every day and grapple with the realisation his life would no longer be the life he had and loved.
“Shane loved his work as a roof restorer and enjoyed long walks with his beloved dog Nixon,” she said.
Ms Russell said she was constantly worrying about Mr Keely’s future.
“He will always be in pain, will his legs even repair?” she said.
“It’s been 22 months now since Shane was hit by the car and his legs are still not mended enough to start rehabilitation.”
The prosecution said Gray had shown “no compassion or care” for his victim’s “life long suffering”, arguing he should be jailed to send a message to the community.
Gray’s lawyer told the court he “acknowledged the significant impact” his offending had had and offered his “sincere apologies” but argued jail would “not fix” any of the pain Gray had inflicted on Mr Keely.
Ms Temperley said Gray had not stopped to help due to “sheer blind panic”, and had expressed “guilt, shame and remorse” for the offending.
Facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, Magistrate Joanne Metcalf sentenced Gray to four months imprisonment followed by an 18 month community corrections order and disqualified his licence for 18 months.
“You left your victim at the scene knowing that you’d hit him with your car and not checking to see if he was still alive,” she said.
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“You’ve caused dreadful injuries (to Mr Keely) which he will have to deal with for the rest of his life.”
Gray immediately appealed the jail sentence and applied for appeal bail.
Ms Temperley argued Gray had a stable residence, family support and had not reoffended since March 30.
Ms Metcalf granted Gray’s appeal bail application less than two hours after he was jailed and released from custody.
He will remain on bail until his appeal can be heard at a later date.
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