In a recent incident in Muswellbrook, a 20-year-old P-plate driver is set to appear in court following two separate crashes last week. On Thursday, January 25, 2024, emergency services responded to reports of two collisions involving the same vehicle.
The first crash occurred around 6:50 pm when the driver, traveling east along the New England Highway, collided with the rear of a stationary Lexus at the intersection of Thomas Street. Allegedly, the driver fled the scene without exchanging details.
Shortly after, the same driver continued east and collided with the left side of a stationary Mazda utility. The vehicle eventually came to a stop on John Howe Circuit after hitting a gutter. The driver of the Mazda followed, exchanged details, and promptly contacted the police.
Upon arrival, officers from Hunter Valley Police District conducted a roadside breath test, revealing a positive reading. The driver was subsequently arrested and taken to Muswellbrook Police Station, where a breath analysis reportedly returned a high reading of 0.278.
The 20-year-old, a Provisional 2 driver with a 0-alcohol limit restriction, now faces charges of high-range PCA and failure to provide particulars to other drivers after the crashes. His license has been suspended, and he has been granted conditional bail, scheduled to appear before Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.