newy.com.au – Police have laid eight further charges against the 18 year old driver accused of striking a crowd of Newcastle Knights supporters at Wallsend, injuring 10 people during the club’s grand final farewell.
NSW Police announced the additional charges on Tuesday, 13 October. They comprise one count each of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and six counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct while in charge of a motor vehicle.
The accused, Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, was initially charged with nine offences after the crash, three in each of those categories. The ABC reported that he did not apply for bail at Newcastle Bail Court on 4 October, when bail was formally refused.
Emergency services were called to Newcastle Link Road at the Transfield Drive roundabout about 9.30am on Saturday, 3 October 2026. Supporters had gathered to farewell the Knights’ team bus before its trip to Sydney for the NRL grand final. The bus was diverted after the crash.
Paramedics treated all 10 injured people at the scene before taking them to John Hunter Hospital. They included two five year old girls and a two year old girl. One of the five year olds and a 67 year old man were initially reported to be in critical conditions.
By 5 October, six patients had been discharged, according to NSW Health figures reported by the Newcastle Herald. Of the four still in hospital that morning, one was in a serious but stable condition and three were stable. Police did not provide updated patient conditions when announcing the new charges.
Police suspended the driver’s P1 provisional licence and seized the car for forensic examination. Specialist officers from the Crash Investigation Unit examined the scene. Two male passengers, aged 18 and 19, were not injured.
The matter is next listed in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026.
Police have asked anyone with information about the crash to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
