Bitter fallout between Glenn Archer and Mark Vander after crash in Heidelberg
North Melbourne great Glenn Archer says the cyclist he hit with his truck demanded money after the crash but the cyclist says Archer needs to “man up and own his errors”.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The cyclist left with horrific injuries after he was hit by a truck allegedly driven by Glenn Archer says he’s yet to receive a direct apology – but the former footy star has hit back claiming the victim was trying to get money out of him.
Mark Vander, 58, sustained three broken ribs, damage to a bone in his knee and four neck vertebrae in the January 11 incident on Rosanna Rd, Heidelberg.
Archer has been charged with careless driving and failing to keep a safe distance when overtaking but claims he had no idea he hit the cyclist at the time.
Mr Vander last night claimed Archer only reached out to him three weeks after the incident.
He said by then the dashcam footage capturing the moment he was hit before the truck drove off had attracted 200,000 views on social media.
“I got an unsigned email from the company to say the ‘driver has seen the footage, can he call you?’ ” he said.
Mr Vander said the email did not contain an apology and was “totally disingenuous”, adding that the time for reparations was weeks ago.
“The time to call me was in the days after the accident when you found out you had run me over,” he said.
But ex-Kangaroos great Archer hit back on Wednesday night, saying Mr Vander had called his workplace demanding a large sum of money just two days after the incident and he initially thought it was a scam.
He said Mr Vander had received insurance money.
“He has sent personal letters to my house, I’m not sure how he got my personal home address,” Archer told the Herald Sun.
“Two days after the event he was ringing the office screaming and yelling at the owner and the office girl saying ‘one of your trucks has knocked me off my bike’.”
“Every conversation, email and letter has been about money. You need to send me $33,000.”
Mr Archer said he had no idea what Mr Vander was calling about as he hadn’t been aware the truck had hit him.
“At first I thought this was a scam,” he said.
But he said a week after it happened police left a message for him and that’s when he sent an email to Mr Vander asking if he could call.
Mr Vander said he just wants Archer to “man up” and take responsibility.
“I would just tell him to man up and own his errors and, you know, show some remorse,” he said.
“He might have played 311 games where he smacked blokes from behind when they couldn’t see him coming, but when it’s time to man up, he’s an absolute coward.
“He hasn’t faced the music at all.”
More Coverage
State’s biggest police operation targeting worst teen offenders
A police campaign to combat Victoria’s worst youth offenders has become the state’s single biggest operation, with up to 70 officers a night working to catch out-of-control teens stealing cars and breaking into homes.
No-confidence vote begins against top cop Shane Patton
Police have begun voting on a no-confidence motion against Chief Commissioner Shane Patton in a bid to force a recruitment campaign for his job instead of handing him a second term.