Pedestrian dead after being struck twice crossing Stuart Highway

Road diversions are in place on the Stuart Highway following the death of a pedestrian. Read what happened.

A pedestrian who was struck by separate vehicles twice in quick succession as he attempted to cross the Stuart Highway in Johnston late on Friday has died.

A detour is expected to be in place until about lunchtime Saturday as major crash investigators probe the circumstances leading to the tragedy.

Police Watch Commander Senior Sergeant Tanya Woodcock said emergency services were notified about 11.30pm on Friday a man had been struck by a vehicle travelling outbound along the highway between Temple Terrace and Lambrick Drive.

The driver, a 22-year-old male, did not stop and render assistance to the pedestrian and continued driving.

She said a short time later another outbound vehicle struck the man as he lay on the road.

The second driver, an 18-year-old male, stopped and remained at the scene.

A roadside test returned a positive reading for drugs, and he was arrested for the purpose of obtaining a blood sample at the hospital.

The driver of the first vehicle made contact with police a short time after the initial collision. He tested negative for alcohol and police are awaiting results of blood toxicology reports for drugs.

Attempts by paramedics to revive the male pedestrian were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Traffic is being diverted along Lambrick Avenue and Temple Terrace, with delays expected until lunchtime.

A report will be prepared for the coroner, with police also working to identify the deceased male.

Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said on Saturday morning reports had been received from motorists concerned about the behaviour of the pedestrian before the crash.

“Police attended and patrolled the area but were unable to locate him,” he said.

“The pedestrian is an adult male and described as being of Aboriginal appearance and wearing dark-coloured clothing.”

Police are appealing to witnesses who saw him on or near the road around 11pm.

Anyone travelling along Stuart Highway in Johnson between 10pm and 11pm, with information or dash-cam footage is urged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Meanwhile, police will continue their search for the driver of a vehicle that struck a cyclist on the Stuart Highway in Parap just before 5am Friday.

Police said grainy CCTV footage showed what appeared to be an Aboriginal man and woman fleeing the crash scene.

An abandoned Toyota ute, which collided with a traffic light after hitting the cyclist, lay on its roof at the scene alongside the crumpled pushbike frame.

Sen Sgt Woodcock said the injured man had been quickly taken to Royal Darwin Hospital after the crash and that his condition had improved from critical, to stable but serious.

Friday night’s fatality brings the NT’s road toll to 25 compared to 46 this time last year.

Horror rollover that left cyclist critically injured caught on CCTV

NT Major Crash detectives are investigating a hit-and-run after a cyclist was critically injured in a smash on the Stuart Highway in Parap on Friday.

Four hours after the smash an overturned Toyota utility and a crumpled pushbike were still at the scene at the Stuart Hwy and Woolner Rd intersection.

Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said grainy CCTV footage shot at a nearby service station showed an adult male and female fleeing the scene.

Police were notified of the crash about 4.55am.

Investigators at the scene of Friday morning’s hit-and-run.

“It appears to us the utility driver has driven into the back of the cyclist and post that incident the utility has left the road, clipped the pole and then landed on the roof.

“The vehicle is probably riding the kerb and clipping the pole, for whatever reason the vehicle seems to have been out of control by the driver at that point.

“We don’t know whether (the driver) was wearing seatbelts at this stage and that will be investigated.”

He said the incident could be alcohol related.

“The possibility of this involving alcohol is quite high based on the crashes that we attend regularly,” he said.

“There were two people seen running from the crash scene. They’re described as an adult male and an adult female both of Aboriginal appearance.

“They were seen running from the area, we can’t confirm yet whether they were in the car or whether they were the driver and those inquiries are ongoing.”

A cyclist is in a critical condition after a they were hit by a car on the Stuart Hwy. Picture: Sierra Haigh

The vehicle had recently been sold and police were attempting to make contact with the regular owner.

“There are CCTV cameras all around which we’re endeavouring to look at. I’ve viewed some grainy footage on a mobile phone that was recorded from the service station which shows by and large the crash at a distance, so we’re reviewing that.

“The vehicle is not reported stolen.”

Sergeant Lindner said the driver of the utility and the cyclist were both heading outbound on the Stuart Highway when the crash occurred.

The adult male cyclist was treated at the scene and taken by paramedics to Royal Darwin Hospital where he is in a critical condition.

Sergeant Lindner said the past four weeks had been particularly bad on NT roads and called on Territorians to ease up heading into Christmas.

The flattened fence Malak

“The last thing that major crash investigators want to be doing during that period is coming to these crashes and picking up bits of body, which is a terrible thing to say but that’s the reality of what we have been doing in recent weeks.”

Meanwhile, a man has been arrested after road spikes were used in Dalwood Crescent, Malak, to end an hour-long police pursuit after a vehicle was stolen from Nightcliff overnight.

Senior Sergeant Michael Budge said police located the vehicle in Palmerston and followed it through the northern suburbs until officers were able to deploy road spikes.

A residential front fence was damaged on Dalwood Crescent when the driver lost control after the vehicle came into contact with the road spikes. The cost to replace the fence will be met by police.

Joy ride gone wrong: Four kids in hospital

Several children have been injured in a serious crash after an alleged joy ride gone wrong.

An NT Police spokesman said CareFlight took two of the boys to Royal Darwin Hospital after single vehicle crash on the Buntine Hwy at 6.20am Wednesday.

The spokesman said one of the boys was in a serious condition.

He said the other two boys were taken to Katherine District Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The spokesman said police believed the car had recently been stolen from a remote Victoria River community.

He said Major Crash Investigation Unit detectives had been deployed to the scene, where local officers are already on site.

The spokesman said the road was still closed and urged motorists travelling to Lajamanu, Kalkarindji and Yarralin to use the 4WD alternative route via Buchanan Hwy to Top Springs.

Boy rushed to hospital after community unrest, hit and run

A teenage boy has been rushed to hospital for spinal analysis after he was hit by a car during a “large disturbance” in Daly River.

NT Police Commander Kylie Anderson said the 16-year-old boy was treated for non-life threatening injuries in a local clinic following the alleged hit and run crash just after 10pm Tuesday.

Commander Anderson said the boy was then medically evacuated from Nauiyu to Royal Darwin Hospital for precautionary spinal assessments.

She said police also received reports of people fighting with weapons and a structure and vehicle fire about the same time.

Commander Anderson said additional police resources were deployed to the remote community overnight and “calm was eventually restored”.

“Community members, government departments and agency stakeholders have been doing a lot of work in the West Daly Region of late in an effort to restore long term calm to communities,” she said.

“The majority of residents want to live in peaceful, safe communities.

“However, the incidents overnight are extremely disappointing as it shows that a small number of remote residents have no respect for themselves or others.

“Police will investigate and hold these offenders to account for their actions.”

Northern Investigations and Major/Serious Crime detectives are currently on their way to the community to investigate the spate of overnight crime.

Multiple arrests made after ‘disgraceful’ assaults on police

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said police resources will be bolstered over the Dry Season after “absolutely disgraceful” spate of assaults on police officers across the Territory.

Police responded to a domestic incident on Espie St, Alice Springs, where a 42-year-old woman allegedly became aggressive towards the officers, about 7.20am Saturday.

She allegedly punched a female officer in the face after police waved her down to check the welfare of a child needing care.

The woman was charged with assault police and was due to appear in Alice Springs Local Court on Tuesday.

Later on Saturday, police went to break up a disturbance on Edmunds St in the Darwin CBD.

Once there two men allegedly approached the police vehicle and began damaging it before assaulting a female officer.

Michael Murphy, the Northern Territory's police commissioner, called recent assaults on police officers “absolutely disgraceful”. Picture: David Gray

Police managed to use OC spray prompting the two alleged offenders to flee the scene, before they were arrested a short time later on Smith St.

Both offenders were charged with assault police with one appearing in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, while the other was bailed to appear on November 15.

Maningrida Police also ran into trouble with the public when they spotted an intoxicated man causing a disturbance about 1am Monday.

As they went to make the arrest he allegedly became violent, kicking a police vehicle door into an officer, bruising her face.

He was arrested and charged with multiple offences including disorderly behaviour, resist police, assault police and consume liquor in a general restricted area.

Commissioner Murphy said assaults on the community’s police officers was “absolutely disgraceful”.

“Our police officers, like all front line responders, come to work to do their job,” he said.

“They are committed to keeping the community safe. They deserve to be treated with respect and not be assaulted while they do their job.

“They deserve to be safe and return home at the end of their shift unharmed.

“The behaviour we saw over the weekend will not be tolerated and anyone who decides to assault one of our officers will be arrested, will be charged, and will face court to answer for their conduct.

“Police resources will be bolstered in Alice Springs across the summer period. Police numbers will also be increased across entertainment precincts in Darwin.

“Our officers will continue to respond 24 hours a day seven days a week in service of the safety of the community.”