Glenn Archer: North Melbourne AFL great had ‘zero idea’ he injured cyclist
A former AFL club captain says he’s “very sorry” after seriously injuring a cyclist and leaving the scene, but claims he had no idea he’d done it.
Former football great Glenn Archer wants to put a horror crash with a cyclist behind him and move forward, a court has heard.
The 50-year-old former North Melbourne captain left Mark Vander, 58, with “lifelong injuries” following an incident in Melbourne’s northeast on January 11.
He pleaded guilty to a single offence of careless driving, after prosecutors agreed to withdraw a second charge, at his first appearance before the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The court heard Archer was driving a work truck with a trailer registered to his business, True Blue Tree Management, about 1.30pm along Rosanna Rd in Heidelberg.
Attempting to pass Mr Vander, who was cycling in the left lane, Archer moved over to the right lane but was forced to move back when traffic slowed.
His trailer clipped Mr Vander, who fell onto the curb, as his bicycle was tangled in Archer’s wheel arch.
He left the scene without stopping, but the incident was captured on Mr Vander’s GoPro.
Archer, the court heard, attended Heidelberg Police Station on January 23 after police left him a message, telling officers this was the first he’d heard of the incident.
“I had absolutely zero idea that I’d hit someone,” he said.
After watching a video of the crash, Archer told police it “could absolutely be considered careless”.
He maintained, and police accepted, he did not know he had hit a cyclist.
“My apprentice with me on the day couldn‘t even remember a cyclist… If I knew I hit someone I’m definitely stopping.”
The court heard Mr Vander suffered serious injuries including three broken ribs and a cervical neck injury - in a victim impact statement he said he had spent six weeks in a neck brace.
He said he suffers constant headaches and flashbacks, and his “life will never be the same”.
Archer’s lawyer, Peter Amad, told the court Mr Vander had been in phone contact demanding compensation, which had “been taken care of by insurance”.
“Mr Archer asked me to express to the victim that he’s very sorry for what happened,” he said.
Mr Amad said Archer was “in total agreeance” the incident should never have happened.
He said his client ran a tree lopping business which necessitated long hours on the road each day.
“Mr Acher, as no doubt the victim does, wants to put this behind him,” he said.
Handing down his sentence, Magistrate Timothy Hoare noted the offence had a maximum penalty of about a $2200 fine and prosecutors did not dispute that Archer “wasn‘t aware of the cyclist”.
“The careless driving in this case did have a serious consequence,” he said.
“He says he’s been left with permanent mental and physical injuries.
“I have a lot of sympathy for the victim in this case, motorists have to take proper care and caution so things like this don’t take place.”
Mr Hoare took into account Archer’s early plea of guilty, his remorse and cooperation with police.
Archer played 311 games for the Kangaroos between 1992 and 2007, and was recognised as one of the most courageous players in the sport’s history.
He was fined $1500 with a conviction recorded and will not have his driver’s licence impacted.