Heartbreaking new twist after hit-and-run school driver allegedly killed South Australian police commissioner’s son
EXCLUSIVE
One of four people who witnessed the alleged collision that killed the South Australian police chief’s 18-year-old boy is the accused driver’s girlfriend.
Montana Rose Bowd’s version of events, which stems from her sitting in the front seat next to her boyfriend and driver Dhirren Randhawa, 18, in the front passenger seat, is dramatically different from that of the other three witnesses, according to court documents.
Randhawa has been charged over the alleged death of Charlie Stevens in Goolwa, south of Adelaide, during school celebrations on Friday, November 17.
Ms Bowd has told police that Mr Stevens came into the path of her friend’s car, while other witness statements, provided by friends of Mr Stevens, claim Randhawa struck the teenager after he lost control of the car.
Randhawa was granted bail on Monday with strict conditions banning him from contacting the four eyewitnesses, including Ms Bowd, his high school sweetheart.
Randhawa, a former Victor Harbor High School student and aspiring doctor, has been dating Ms Bowd for the past year.
Montana Rose Bowd, 18, (photo)
Dhirren Randhawa (pictured) has been charged over the alleged death of Charlie Stevens
Randhawa and Ms Bowd (pictured) have been dating for the past year
According to the conditions, Randhawa is not allowed to have contact with or be within 100 meters of any witnesses. The advertiser reports.
Ms Bowd was sitting in the front seat of Randhawa’s magnetic blue VW Golf hatchback when he allegedly hit Mr Stevens on Beach Road about 9pm on Friday.
Mr Stevens had been in the area with friends to attend school celebrations, which had just started that evening, in nearby Victor Harbor.
According to court documents obtained by the Advertiser, Ms Bowd told South Australian police that Mr Stevens “went across the road into the path” of Randhawa’s car.
However, Mr Stevens’ friends – the other three witnesses – claim Randhawa made a U-turn and turned to the opposite side of the road, hitting Mr Stevens.
Dhirren Randhawa is pictured next to his mother Amreeta Stara
Charlie Stevens (pictured) remembered as a ‘beautiful boy’ by devastated loved ones
They said the group had stopped Randhawa moments earlier to ask if he could take them to school functions, but there was not enough room in his car.
Ms Bowd is not accused of any wrongdoing and there is no animosity between the groups.
Randhawa is said to have driven away before police officers arrested him a short time later on nearby Port Elliott Road.
Ms Bowd told officers that after Randhawa left the scene, he called his mother to ask whether he should call the police or go to the police station in person. She added that he was still on the phone when officers arrived.
Meanwhile, Mr Stevens was flown to Flinders Medical Center with an ‘irreversible brain injury’. His life support was turned off around 7pm on Saturday evening after family arrived from the interstate to say goodbye.
Randhawa has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of an accident after causing death and failing to actually answer questions.
He has yet to enter a plea to the charges, with the case postponed until early next year.
If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison sentence of fifteen years and disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver’s license for ten years.
Dhirren Randhawa, 18, (pictured leaving Christies Beach Magistrates’ Court in Adelaide on Monday) has been charged in the death of Charlie Stevens. His mother is in pink on the right
While on bail, Randhawa is also not allowed to drive or be behind the wheel of any car and must live with his mother, hypnotherapist and author Amreeta Stara, at their home in Encounter Bay, according to the Advertiser.
He must also be on good behavior, surrender his passport, remain in the state and cannot reapply for his license, which was disqualified by police at the time of his arrest.
His mother posted $15,000 bail for his release.
Mr Stevens’ death is the 101st fatality on South Australian roads this year, compared to just 61 in the same period last year.
Earlier this week, his father, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, shared a heartbreaking letter dedicated to his son, saying: “We will never forget your beautiful cheeky, disarming smile.”
Ms Stara offered her condolences to the Stevens family in a statement on Saturday.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the Stevens family and my heart breaks to think of the suffering and pain they are experiencing,” she said.
“Out of respect and recognizing that this is now a matter for the court, I will not comment further at this time.”
Randhawa will appear in court at the Adelaide Magistrates Court in March.