Driver denies random attack
A GEELONG driver deliberately and inexplicably mowed down a couple while they walked near the city’s hospital, a jury was told yesterday.
Mark Anthony Lewin, 44, pleaded not guilty to charges from the incident near the 7-Eleven on Swanston St on December 29, 2018.
The victims, Paula and Christopher Kingscott, were visiting Geelong to attend a wedding the next day.
They were on a quiet walk after eating out in the city when Mr Lewin allegedly revved the engine of his Holden Commodore and ran them down about 9pm.
The County Court heard Ms Kingscott tried to jump out of the way but was hit in the lower right leg, while her husband was thrown onto the bonnet and saw his wife under the car.
“She remembers being on the ground with the car about 1m away from her. She tried to get away but could not stand up so she crawled away,” prosecutors have submitted.
Mr Kingscott told police he believed Mr Lewin turned to line up his wife, so he ran and punched the driver’s window yelling “get the f--- out of the car”. But the driver reversed from the scene and took off up Myers St.
Ms Kingscott suffered a double-compound fracture to her leg, and was operated on the next day. The rod they implanted in the limb is expected to stay with her, and she still requires treatment for her injuries, the court was told.
Her husband is still being treated for his injuries, which included whiplash and pain in his ribs, elbow, neck and back.
The jury heard police officer Acting Sergeant Nikki Drever was on duty and nearby when the pedestrians were hit, hearing “an engine revving followed by a bang and then screaming and yelling”.
She followed in her police car and apprehended Mr Lewin about 850m away near St Mary’s school.
The court has been told tests found Mr Lewin had methadone, nordiazepam and cannabis in his blood.
Mr Kingscott told police the attack was random and he did not recognise the driver.
The jury was told Mr Lewin was interviewed the day after the incident. He allegedly acknowledged his car hit someone, but denied it was deliberate, and did not explain what happened.
Mr Lewin faces charges of intentionally causing serious injury to Ms Kingscott and injury to her husband as well as failing to stop at the scene of a crash.
The trial continues.
MORE than 100 burgers are set to greet hungry runners at the finish line of a new Geelong event next month.
The inaugural Burger Run, to be held along the Barwon River, will see participants rewarded with a medal along with a burger and a beer.
Organiser Jocelyn Hepburn, from Grovedale, hoped the incentive would attract the “everyday” runner.
“As you get older, unless there is an absolute reward at the end of it, it can be hard to feel motivated,” Ms Hepburn said.
“So we wanted to organise something a bit different that had more of a social element to it. We thought ‘how good would it be if they could come together and have a burger and a beer at the end of it?’”
After almost 12 months of planning, Ms Hepburn said she was excited to get the event “off the ground”.
“It started with our training group, but then it just got bigger and bigger and now there’s people coming from everywhere,” she said. “People are really excited to take part in something new.”
More than 100 participants are expected across the 5km, 10km and 15km distances, with Fyansford Hotel dishing up the burgers.
“At the moment our most popular run is the 15km,” she said.
Burger Run will land at the Fyansford Common on March 8. For more information visit strongbodieshq.com.au.