Updated ,first published
A northern beaches driver who allegedly knocked a 15-year-old boy off his e-bike in a hit-and-run that left the boy hospitalised with serious leg injuries has been charged over the crash.
The 38-year-old man was arrested at Dee Why Police Station at 5.30pm on Monday, one hour after emergency services were called to the intersection of Abbott Road and Pitt Road in North Curl Curl following reports of the incident.
Witnesses told police the man, driving a Volkswagen SUV, had made an offensive hand gesture towards the group of teenage e-bike riders before driving away.
Police say the 15-year-old caught up with the driver and began arguing with him, before the driver allegedly threw a water bottle at the teen in retaliation. The e-bike rider is accused of throwing the bottle back at the car without making impact.
The boy is then accused of blocking the car at the North Curl Curl intersection, before the driver allegedly hit the teen with his vehicle, causing the teenager to be thrown from the e-bike. The boy was airlifted to Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick with serious leg injuries, where he remains on Tuesday in a serious but stable condition.
Police said two nearby off-duty police officers directed the driver to stop. However, he allegedly failed to do so and drove from the scene.
Footage captured by the boy’s friends shows the driver, accompanied by a passenger, leaving the scene as two men run towards the car and unsuccessfully attempt to stop it from leaving. The car accelerates as the men open the doors and the vehicle leaves the crash scene.
Police charged the driver with driving furiously and causing bodily harm, negligent driving, and driving while a licence application was refused. He was transferred to Manly Police Station after his arrest, and was granted strict conditional bail to appear before Manly Local Court on May 20.
The news of the bike crash emerged after a separate incident on Sunday, when about two dozen trail bike riders were captured on video doing wheelies and tricks and weaving among traffic along the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the third illegal ride-out along the landmark in as many months.
The video, captured from inside a car about 3.15pm on Sunday, showed at least 23 riders wearing varying levels of protective clothing passing several cars at close range. The riders were travelling south on the Cahill Expressway along the Harbour Bridge.
In another incident on February 3, about 40 e-bike and motorcycle riders descended on the bridge during peak hour, then abruptly turned back and rode through the CBD. Police announced Strike Force Puma last month to target those responsible for the ride-outs.
Emily Kaine is a national news blogger at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
Daniel Lo Surdo is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He previously helmed the national news live blog for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
