‘Nobody should spend Christmas mourning the needless loss of a loved one’: Police disappointed by drivers

A MAN critically injured in a fiery, horror crash two weeks ago has died in hospital

A man had died following a serious crash in Katherine. Picture: ABC

A MAN critically injured in a crash in Katherine two weeks ago has died in Royal Darwin Hospital.

On Thursday, December 11 the 24-year-old passenger and a 19-year-old man were taken to hospital in critical conditions after being involved in a single-vehicle accident.

The Holden Commodore, driven by a 20-year-old man, had crashed into a light pole on a median strip after being seen by police allegedly travelling at high speed in the northbound lane of the Stuart Highway.

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“The vehicle was on fire, and a water main had burst from the impact,” said NT Police Northern Watch Commander Vicki Koum at the time.

“Police were able to extract the driver and the front passenger, but the two passengers in the rear were pinned inside the vehicle and had to be extracted by the fireys.

“All four were injured, and the two rear passengers had critical injuries.”

In a release today NT Police announced the 24-year-old passenger had died.

Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said it was a needless loss of life.

“Nobody should spend Christmas mourning the needless loss of a loved one,” he said.

“Drink driving continues to be a scourge in our community. If you flout the laws by driving after you’ve had a few drinks, it is only a matter of time until you are apprehended and prosecuted or, worse, injure or kill someone on our roads.”

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Following the man’s release from hospital he was charged with driving a motor vehicle causing harm or death, recklessly endangering and cause serious harm, breach of bail, driving a vehicle in a dangerous manner and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Major Crash Detectives will update the charges against the driver accordingly.

The man remains in custody to appear in Darwin Local Court on 21 February 2021.

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