Pregnant mum and son centimetres from death
A PREGNANT woman and her two-year-old son have escaped death by just centimetres, with the mother grabbing the child from the back of her car and leaping clear as an out-of-control vehicle hurtled past.
The woman’s husband, Gold Coast surgeon Sam Dowthwaite, has told of the terrifying incident in an interview and letter to the Bulletin, detailing how their older fouryear-old son was still in the family car – parked in a street at Fingal Head – as the other vehicle came around a corner, struck a kerb and went up on to two wheels as it careered towards the panicking family.
He alleges the driver was still holding an alcoholic drink as he climbed out of the wreckage after the car crashed.
The luxury car driven by a 39-year-old Gold Coast man smashed into the car parked next to the Dowthwaites’ vehicle and then flattened a phone box, coming to rest in a garden. The car that was struck spun around, hitting Dr Dowthwaite and friends, including a young woman who was left bleeding on the ground and spent the night in Tweed Heads Hospital, where she was treated for cuts.
The incident occurred at 10pm last Saturday as Dr Dowthwaite’s wife was changing their two-year-old’s nappy at the back of their car. Dr Dowthwaite and the others were standing nearby talking as they prepared to go home after a Christmas party.
Suddenly the other car entered the intersection of Main Rd and Lighthouse Pde, struck a gutter and headed towards them.
“It’s the imagery left in your head, watching those two car lights coming at you out of the dark and not knowing where it’s going to end up – it’s shaken all of us,” Dr Dowthwaite said.
He said his wife, who asked that her name not be published, saw the car first and grabbed their youngest son before diving out of the car’s path. Their four-year-old watched from inside the Dowthwaites’ car.
“(My wife) had enough time to grab our two-year-old and jump behind the car. Our fouryear-old was deeper in the car, we couldn’t get to him,” he said.
“I don’t know how he didn’t kill my pregnant wife, who was holding my two-year-old. She was missed by literally centimetres. It was less than a metre.
“There were two cars parked nose to tail and the car behind us was the one that was knocked. It was crazy.’’
He said a couple of the people standing there were struck by the car that was spun around.
“That’s when our friend’s daughter got hit,’’ he said.
The woman was taken to hospital after being treated at the scene by paramedics.
Dr Dowthwaite said the driver held an open drink as he climbed out of his car.
“He was literally still drinking from his vodka and Coke. It was taken away by the cops,” he said.
“He was in no condition to be behind the wheel. He wasn’t making any sense at all.”
Tweed-Byron District Police Chief Inspector Luke Arthurs said police would allege the man recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.108 – more than twice the legal limit.
Chief Insp Arthurs said the man was charged with drinkdriving and driving in a manner dangerous to the public. His licence was suspended and he was bailed to appear at Tweed Heads Local Court on February 11.
Dr Dowthwaite said he wanted to speak out to hold the public to account and as a form of closure for his family.
At least seven Australians have died in road crashes this holiday season.
“You hear about (the road toll) all the time,” he said. “And the nonsense of (the incident) brought it all home.”
He said it was unacceptable for anyone to get behind the wheel after they had been drinking.
“How can you make that decision to get behind the wheel? It’s not like we’re an uneducated society, the message is out there all the time – don’t drink and drive.”
HE WAS LITERALLY STILL DRINKING FROM HIS VODKA AND COKE. HE WAS IN NO CONDITION TO BE BEHIND THE WHEEL
DR SAM DOWTHWAITE (PICTURED)