The young driver who fatally struck South n Police Commissioner Grant Stevens’ son Charlie has avoided going to jail over the hit-run tragedy during Schoolies week.
Dhirren Singh Randhawa, 19, from Encounter Bay, was sentenced on Tuesday in the SA District Court to one year, one month and seven days in jail by judge Joanne Tracey, suspended on the condition of good behaviour for two years upon him entering into a $1000 good behaviour bond.
He has also been banned from driving for 10 years.
He had pleaded guilty to aggravated driving without due care and leaving the scene of a crash at Goolwa Beach, south of Adelaide, on November 17.
The circumstances of the tragedy were revealed during sentencing submissions.
Charlie Stevens, 18, and three friends were celebrating Schoolies at a Goolwa Beach shack owned by his family, the court was told.
They had flagged down Randhawa at 9pm to ask for a ride to Victor Harbor but he declined, explaining that he did not want to risk demerit points on his P-plates.
He performed a U-turn and struck Mr Stevens, causing irreversible brain damage. He died at Flinders Medical Centre the next day.
Randhawa drove away in ‘shock and disbelief’ but stopped when he saw a police car and told them what happened.
Sentencing Randhawa, Judge Tracey said: ‘I accept that at the time you like and panicked and were overwhelmed when you made the very foolish decision to keep driving.
‘However, drivers in such circumstances will undoubtedly experience shock and panic, but that is no excuse for failing to stop,’ reports Adelaide Now.
‘It can only be hoped that the circumstances here give all road users an opportunity to reflect on the devastating consequences that flow from driving without proper care, and serve as a powerful reminder to all drivers of the onerous responsibility that we have as users,’ she said.
In court on October 3, Randhawa addressed Mr Stevens’ family, telling them that learning Charlie’s life support had been switched off ‘was the most difficult thing I’ve heard in my life’.
‘To Charlie’s mum and dad, seeing you on TV, talking about Charlie brought out deep sadness within me,’ he said.
‘There’s so much I’d like to say, but mostly I want to say I’m sorry. And I’m sorry Charlie.’
In his victim statement, Grant Stevens told Randhawa he could ‘not possibly understand what you have taken from us’.
‘There is not a day when we don’t shed a tear thinking about our son and how much we miss him,’ Mr Stevens said in court, with his wife, Emma, by his side.
‘Charlie was a vibrant, caring, fun loving, generous young man with a love of life and plans for the future. Now all we have are the memories of him and that is not enough.’
Following the sentencing decision, Mr Stevens said he was grateful that the court process was over.
‘We’re grateful that this part of the entire process is over. Each court date that’s come up has been difficult, stressful and emotional for our family, but we’re grateful that Dhirren chose to plead guilty to the offence because that brought this part of it to a conclusion much more quickly.
‘It’s one of those things that we are continuing to learn to live every single day without Charlie. It’s not getting any easier, as I am sure people who have lost a child would appreciate.
‘We’re very grateful for the support and sympathy we have received from the South n community and we continue to receive that every single day.
‘There’s no way we can acknowledge or repay that in any other format other than just by thanking people for their support. We do appreciate it.
‘It’s not that we now move on, we’re learning to live life without Charlie. We are always reminded of his absence and we are grateful that Dhirren has taken responsibility for his actions. We’re grateful this part is over.’