A suspected hoon driver was bashed by onlookers after he allegedly lost control of a burnout at an illegal street meet and injured six people including two young children.
The young children were seriously hurt and another five onlookers injured after the burnout gone wrong at a gathering at Abermain, west of Newcastle in the NSW Hunter Valley, just after midnight on Sunday.
The 18-year-old P-Plater driver lost control of his 2003 Subaru Liberty while performing the burnout in front of a crowd and smashed into a parked vehicle which then struck seven onlookers, including two children, police confirmed.
Witnesses said the driver of the car was allegedly travelling at approximately 100 km/h when he attempted a burnout and handbrake turn, before he lost control of the vehicle.
The children were treated by paramedics at the scene and rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Other witnesses claim the family with the two young children were homeless or parked at the secluded industrial zone to sleep for the night.
One of the injured were airlifted to hospital from the notorious hoon sector locals refer to as ‘Hez’.
It has been reported the driver, an 18-year-old man, suffered serious injuries after he was bashed by bystanders.
The suspected hoon was taken to hospital for further assessment, where he remains under police guard.
Hunter Valley Police District officers attended the scene and found a blue 2003 Subaru Liberty AWD sedan was driving east when it hit two parked vehicles, a white LDV and a Mazda 6. The Subaru then struck a group of people.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated seven people at the scene and one person was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital.
An eight-year-old girl remains in hospital with suspected internal injuries and a broken leg while a 10-year-old girl was treated for minor injuries and released.
Two women, aged 25 and 31, also remain in hospital with the 31-year-old being treated for a head injury.
Two men, aged 24 and 25, were also taken to hospital.
The 24-year-old man has a fractured leg while the 25-year-old was treated for a foot injury and released.
‘It is very, very concerning that we’ve got eight and 10-year-olds out at a street racing event at that time of night, and certainly that will be part of our investigation,’ NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell told reporters on Sunday.
‘We will no doubt be canvassing exactly why those children were there and look at submitting child-at-risks in relation to those children.’
A crime scene has been established and the Crash Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances that led to the crash.
Locals took to social media after helicopters were spotted scouring the Abermain area.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.