By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS, KATH GANNAWAY AND JESSE GRAHAM
A BADGER Creek man has been remanded to face court in November, after a head-on crash between a car and a motorbike in Coldstream on Thursday, 28 July.
Guy Anthony Barry, 36, appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 29 July, charged with negligently causing serious injury and dangerous driving causing serious injury after hitting a motorbike on the Maroondah Highway the day before.
No application for bail was made, and Barry is expected to front court again on 4 November.
Police believe Barry’s Nissan Murano wagon crossed onto the wrong side of the highway at 11.30am and hit a Ducati motorbike, ridden by a 45-year-old Ringwood man, near Hill Road in Coldstream.
The motorbike rider suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, including upper-body and leg injuries, and was taken to The Alfred hospital by air ambulance.
Major Collision Investigation Unit (MCIU) Detective Senior Constable Matthew Hunt said on Monday, 1 August, that the rider remained in a “serious condition” at The Alfred.
Barry was arrested at the scene of the crash and interviewed by MCIU officers before being charged – the MCIU then closed the road after 5pm on Thursday to carry out a reconstruction of the crash.
MCIU Detective Sergeant Mark Patrick told the Mail that Barry was visibly upset and distressed about the situation at the scene of the crash.
The westbound lane of the Maroondah Highway, which had motorbike parts strewn around 50 metres, was closed after the crash as police carried out their investigations.
MCIU officers have spoken to three witnesses to the crash, but have asked for anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Healesville police are also looking for witnesses to a crash in Yarra Glen last week, where a driver fled the scene.
At about 5pm on Wednesday, 27 July, two cars crashed at the intersection of Eltham-Yarra Glen Road and Steels Creek Road.
Leading Senior Constable Cliff Argus said a 26-year-old Lilydale man, who was driving one of the cars involved, fled the scene, and was located by police on Melba Highway a short time later, testing positive to alcohol.
Neither driver is believed to have suffered serious injuries.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call Healesville police on 5962 4422.
