Woman arrested over Coburg hit-run
CHARGES against a fugitive driver could be upgraded as the schoolgirl she is accused of running down and leaving for dead continues a desperate fight for life.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
CHARGES against a fugitive driver could be upgraded as the schoolgirl she is accused of running down and leaving for dead continues a desperate fight for life.
Thi Nguyen will front Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday accused of leaving 13-year-old Alice Lewis critically injured in Coburg after hitting her with her BMW.
The Sunshine North woman, 41, faces charges of one count each of dangerous driving causing serious injury, failing to stop after a serious injury collision, failing to render assistance after a serious injury collision and failing to exchange her name and address or report a collision.
OFF-DUTY NURSE: HOW I KEPT YOUNG GIRL BREATHING
Driver accused of hitting 13yo girl on her bike and fleeing leaves Spencer St police station after being charged @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/1YZXaPyIbL
— Wes Hosking (@WesHosking) November 9, 2017
Ms Nguyen was arrested by police after handing herself in at her lawyer’s office in the CBD on Thursday.
It was the breakthrough police needed to end their manhunt for a driver seen fleeing Bell St on Sunday when Alice was flung from her bike and knocked unconscious.
Major Collisions Investigations Unit Detective Inspector Stuart McGregor said the woman must have known it was only a matter of time before police came knocking.
“The amount of media that was given to this case has probably put her in a position where she had no choice (but to come forward),” Insp McGregor said.
“She knew we were going to release her name, she knew we were going to put her face out there. She knew that eventually, we were going to come knocking on the door and so she’s done the right thing and come forward.”
Alice, who suffered head trauma and fractured limbs, on Thursday night remained in an induced coma.
“We are hoping there are some small signs of improvement,” Insp McGregor said.
In dramatic scenes outside Melbourne West police station, Ms Nguyen appeared flustered as she used a leather jacket to cover her head and run to a car after being granted bail.
She fled a large media contingent waiting outside, without comment, getting into a blue sedan.
A man, understood to be Ms Nguyen’s boyfriend, accompanied her to the station.
Police were investigating whether Ms Nguyen’s driving behaviour had contributed to the crash.
“Because of the seriousness of the injuries ... the sanctions are significantly more,” Insp McGregor said.
Detectives had gathered an extensive dossier of evidence, including video footage of the driver and of the BMW hatchback, which they traced to a laneway in Sunshine North, 14km from Coburg.
Police will allege it was Ms Nguyen who parked the car there after the crash.