Court: Leigh Milner denied bail after allegedly fleeing Kilmore crash scene

A Kilmore man has been accused of dangerous driving and not rendering assistance after allegedly leaving his passenger with life-threatening injuries after a crash.

Kilmore man Leigh Milner was not granted bail as he faces charges of dangerous driving and failing to render assistance.

A Kilmore man has been refused bail due to the “level of risk” he presents to the community after he allegedly fled the scene of a crash that left his passenger with serious injuries.

Leigh Milner appeared via video link in the Shepparton Magistrate’s Court on February 6 after being charged with dangerous driving, dangerous driving causing serious injury, careless driving, negligent driving, failing to render assistance to his injured passenger and failing to report the accident to police.

He is also accused of driving without a licence and driving on the right of two continuous white lines.

Police allege Mr Milner crossed double white lines and crashed into two trees as he and a passenger were travelling west along Kilmore East Rd in a Mitsubishi station wagon on January 22 about 8pm.

The passenger was trapped inside the vehicle and Mr Milner allegedly left the scene and failed to render assistance.

Leigh Milner and his passenger were travelling on Kilmore East Rd when he allegedly hit a tree, leaving the passenger with serious injuries. Picture: Google

Police allege about the same time as the crash a local resident saw a male running through a nearby paddock covered in blood and removing clothing.

The resident captured the man on video who claimed he had been bashed and was trying to get away.

Mr Milner then allegedly ran to his parents house and told his mother he had been involved in a motorbike accident, and after she drove him to his house, he told his housemates the same thing.

A friend drove Mr Milner to Seymour Hospital shortly before 10pm and where he again said it was a motorbike accident.

He collapsed in the hospital, was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and underwent surgery to his leg.

On January 23 Mr Milner was arrested and remanded in custody the following day.

The passenger was taken to hospital for surgery and spent time in an induced coma for injuries including a ruptured spleen which was removed, a ruptured liver and a ruptured aorta.

Senior Constable Laura Mitchell, of Seymour highway patrol, told the court Mr Milner had no regard for public safety as he continued to drive unlicensed.

Leigh Milner appeared in the Shepparton Magistrate’s Court via video link for a bail application which was refused.

She said the victim would need lifelong medical treatment due to their injuries.

Ms Mitchell said bail conditions would not alleviate her concerns that he might continue to drive and placing the community at risk.

She said he had told her he used cannabis and methylamphetamine daily.

Magistrate Olivia Trumble said Mr Milner’s driving history was more problematic than his history and that he had a history of noncompliance.

“It’s not screaming out to me that he is any real prospect of complying with bail conditions,” she said.

Ms Trumble refused the bail application due to the "level of risk he still presents to the community” but saw potential in the future if he could be accepted into residential rehabilitation.

Failing to render assistance can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in jail and dangerous driving causing serious injury can carry a maximum jail term of five years.

Mr Milner will reappear in court on April 30 for a committal mention.