Fresh details emerge as Dhirren Randhawa appears in court

The teen charged over alleged hit-and-run that killed the son of South Australia’s police commissioner has been granted bail.

The first details in a shocking alleged hit-and-run that killed the young son of South Australia’s police commissioner have emerged in court documents, as the teen driver at the centre of the tragedy was granted bail.

Three witnesses state accused hit-and-run driver Dhirren Randhawa, 18, did a U-turn in his car and drove into Charlie Stevens, the son of Commissioner Grant Stevens, as Charlie and his friends were waiting for a Schoolies shuttle bus to take them back to Victor Harbor from Goolwa Beach on Friday night.

The witnesses, who said they were waiting with Charlie, say they flagged down Mr Randhawa, who was driving a blue VW Golf, to see if they could hitch a ride.

18-year-old Dhirren Randhawa leaves Christies Beach Magistrates Court with his mother Amreeta Stara in front. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

But there was not enough room in the car and the witnesses say Mr Randhawa drove away before making a U-turn.

He then allegedly sped up and started travelling on the wrong side of the road before hitting Charlie, court documents reveal.

There is no suggestion of animosity between the groups.

But a second eyewitness account from inside the car tells a different story, according to the court documents.

The witness states some males were on the western side of the road and partially on the footpath, but there was also a male on the eastern side of the road.

The mother of 18-year-old Dhirren Randhawa arrives in court for her son’s first appearance on Monday afternoon. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

She says a male from the eastern side ran across the road into Mr Randhawa’s car, according to the court documents.

The witness states Mr Randhawa then drove a short distance before calling his mother and asking whether he should turn himself into a police station or call the police.

As he was talking to her, the police arrived and arrested him, the witness said.

The facts of charge document, which recounts the eyewitness accounts, was on Monday lodged with Christies Beach Magistrates Court, where Mr Randhawa appeared for the first time in the afternoon.

His mother Amreeta Stara attended the court, sitting in the front row of the room.

Mr Randhawa did not say anything as he left the court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

She sat silently and did not say anything moving in or out of the courthouse.

The court granted Mr Randhawa bail and he left the court with his mother and supporters in the late afternoon, moving through a scrum of media into a waiting car.

South Australia has been left reeling from the tragedy.

Charlie suffered irreversible brain damage in the smash and Mr Stevens, his wife Emma and their four other children, Sophie, Dylan, Josh and Tom, said their goodbyes to Charlie at Flinders Medical Centre alongside extended family.

Charlie died at 7.01pm on Saturday.

Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton KC is handling the case. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Photos of the car show damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle.

The police have charged Mr Randhawa with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of a crash after causing death and failing to truly answer questions.

If he is found guilty, he faces a maximum jail term of 15 years and disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 10 years.

Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton KC is handling the case for the prosecution and he did not oppose bail for the teen.

Mr Randhawa’s bail conditions include forfeiting his passport, agreeing to reside with his mother and setting aside $15,000 as a guarantee.

Mr Randhawa is also banned from contacting four people connected to the case.

Charlie Stevens with his father, South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: Supplied

Ms Stara expressed her condolences to the Stevens family in a statement from Saturday.

“I extend my deepest possible sympathies to the Stevens family and my heart is breaking to think of the suffering and pain they are experiencing,” she said.

“Out of respect and acknowledging that this is now a matter for the courts, I won’t be saying anything further at this time.”

The family have hired barrister Jane Abbey KC to help with Mr Randhawa’s legal case.

Mr Randhawa, from Encounter Bay and a graduate of Victor Harbor High School, held a provisional licence at the time.

He worked as an apprentice barber at a Goolwa hairdresser and it’s understood he held aspirations to study at university.

Barrister Jane Abbey KC arrives at Christies Beach Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

He will next appear in court at Adelaide Magistrates Court in March.

Charlie’s death marks the 101st fatality on South Australia’s roads this year compared with just 61 from the same period last year.

It was a second tragedy for the police force, coming just hours after the shocking alleged shooting death of police officer Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig, 53, at a remote property near Bordertown in the state’s southeast.

Mr Stevens travelled to Bordertown on Friday to express his grief at the tragedy, which marked the first South Australian police officer to die from a shooting in the line of duty in four decades.