Jonathan Wright committed to stand trial for murder of 33-year-old Paul Sia at Withcott in 2022

A Rockville man has been committed to stand trial for murder, with the 46-year-old accused of running over a 33-year-old Brisbane man on the Toowoomba range at Withcott.

A 46-year-old Rockville man accused of deliberately running over another man at the side of the road at Withcott has been committed to stand trial on a charge of murder.

Jonathan Wright appeared in custody before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon for the conclusion of a committal hearing.

The hearing had started in the same court on Tuesday when one witness, 33-year-old Nathan Gus Vaevae was to give evidence and be cross examined by Mr Wright’s barrister Andrew Hoare KC.

Jonathan Wright, 46, has been committed to stand trial for the murder of Paul Sia, 33, at Withcott.

Mr Vaevae was a passenger in the car driven by Paul Sia who ultimately died of injuries sustained when he was allegedly run over at the side of the road by Mr Wright.

However, Mr Vaevae refused to answer any questions at all and was eventually jailed by magistrate Clare Kelly for three days.

Told he could at any stage tell watch-house staff if he changed his mind and would co-operate with the court, Mr Vaevae remained in the watch-house, still refusing to speak, police prosecutor Senior Constable Chris Willson told the court Thursday afternoon.

Mr Hoare said Mr Vaevae remained a material witness but he consented to the hearing proceeding without Mr Vaevae’s evidence.

Mr Wright is accused by police of initially trying to ram Mr Sia’s car off the road as Mr Sia and Mr Vaevae drove east down the Toowoomba Range Highway about 3pm, November 20, 2022.

Jonathan Wright, 46, has been committed to stand trial for the murder of Paul Sia, 33, at Withcott, after a committal hearing in Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Police claim Mr Sia’s car was eventually pushed off the road on the Toowoomba Connection Rd at Withcott and after he alighted from his vehicle, Mr Wright allegedly ran him over.

At the conclusion of the committal hearing, magistrate Clare Kelly formally charged Mr Wright with the murder of Paul Sia at Withcott on November 20, 2022, as well as two counts of endangering the safety of a person in a vehicle and one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Asked if he had anything to say to the charges, Mr Wright answered: “No comment, thanks”.

Ms Kelly therefore committed Mr Wright to the Toowoomba Supreme Court for trial at a date to be set by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Wright was remanded in custody pending trial.