Jonathan Wright: Attempted murder charge may be upgraded to murder if injured man dies

A 46-year-old who has been charged with attempted murder arising from allegedly running over a man with his car could face more serious charges with the injured man’s family to make a heartbreaking decision. Here’s the latest.

Whether a Toowoomba man charged with attempted murder arising from the alleged hit and run of a man at Withcott will face an upgraded charge of murder relies on the injured man’s family’s decision whether to turn off his life support, a Toowoomba court has been told.

Rockville man Jonathan Wright, 46, was charged with attempted murder and related offences arising from the alleged running down of a 33-year-old Boronia Heights man at the side of the highway at Withcott on the afternoon of November 20.

Police claim in the lead-up to the incident, Wright had intentionally rammed the Nissan Tiida hatch containing the man and an associate as they drove down the Toowoomba Range.

The pair’s car was then allegeldy eventually run off the road and police claim that after the 33-year-old man exited the Tiida, Wright drove over him, leaving him with serious head injuries.

Jonathan Wright, 46 has been charged with attempted murder.

The 33-year-old has since remained sedated in the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane and during what was to be a bail application for Wright in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Friday, Wright’s barrister David Jones KC outlined the gravity of the man’s injuries.

Mr Jones said just before court began he had been given updated information on the complainant’s condition.

“The information provided states that he (the injured man) has had approximately one-third of his brain surgically removed by neurosurgeons,” Mr Jones said.

“Those neurosurgeons have confirmed he is suffering from a significant brain injury.

“Advice has been given about whether the life support should be removed and if that is the case, obviously, the applicant (Wright) expects the Queensland Police Service to change the charge from attempted murder to murder.”

Toowoomba barrister David Jones KC

Mr Jones said if the charge was upgraded to murder, a bail application would have to be dealt with by the Supreme Court.

However, Mr Jones said the man’s family at this stage did not wish to remove the life support but they would meet with medical staff shortly to discuss his ongoing treatment.

“It states here in the material disclosed that due to the significance of the brain injury if the complainant does survive he will more likely never regain consciousness but it is understood that a decision will be made by the family in the coming days,” he said.

In the circumstances, Acting Magistrate Roger Stark remanded Wright in custody and adjourned the bail application to January 20 by which time further information would have been received.

Wright has not as yet been required to enter any pleas to the charges of attempted murder, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of endangering the safety of a person in a vehicle with intent and possessing a dangerous drug.

SES crews scour the scene of an alleged attempted murder at the bottom of the Toowoomba range. Picture: Kevin Farmer

On Wednesday, police and SES personnel conducted a thorough search of the crime scene and surrounds and police put out a call for anyone who may have seen a 2004 Holden Rodeo with a distinctive silver snorkel which it is claimed is linked to the incident.

“We ask anyone with information to come forward because we do need that vehicle and we don’t want it out in the public,” Detective Senior Sergeant Paul McCusker said.