Ten people have been injured after an 18-year-old driver hit a crowd of Newcastle Knights supporters lining a road to cheer on the grand final-qualifying Newcastle Knights’ team bus.
Speaking to the media, NSW Police confirmed that a five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man are in critical condition following the accident caused by a man, who was on his P-plates and driving “erratically”.
He was arrested and taken to hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing before being taken to a police station where he is expected to be charged.
NSW Police assistant commissioner David Waddell said the incident was not targeted or one of ill-motive, adding: “There are no concerns other than this being a tragic incident where a young person has done the wrong thing and driven irresponsibly”.
The Newcastle Knights bus was diverted via an alternate route in response to the incident, and the team has now left Newcastle ahead of the grand final in Sydney on Sunday.
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