Roosters’ Sandon Smith charged with negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm

[mightyrooster]

A dozen or so times since police charged Sandon I've had to inch out of car spaces at malls, by both reversing and driving forward...my view from my sedan car blocked on both sides by SUVs etc.
I inched out all times with hazard lights activated.
Do all pedestrians stop? No, just keep walking!
Do all cars stop? No, just keep driving!
There's no answer to the problem the inching out driver has...it's a lottery.
Luck dictates whether or not the inching out driver has an accident and ends up in court for sentencing.
Well, the only guaranteed safe way to avoid it is to buy a large SUV etc, or stay away from car parks altogether and shop online for everything.
That leaves inching out of your driveway where your view is blocked by a truck etc.
The only solution is to drive back inside and call a cab...obviously.

or vehicles have cameras built into all corners of them, so the driver can see clearly any approaching vehicles/pedestrians.
Maybe retro fitted wireless cameras bolted onto the corners.

Good point BB. I don’t drive but am regularly in the passenger seat when the other half had to inch out of parking spots with huge SUVs or US style monster trucks either side. I often comment I don’t know how he does it when you can’t see a thing with the obstructed view.

[Swamptrout]

Good result for Sandon.

May he now focus on life at the Roosters and working with Sammy and Chad

[Waylander]

Here's the story from news.com:

NRL rising star Sandon Smith learns fate over car accident that resulted in victim’s toes being amputated

A rising NRL star has been sentenced in court over his role in a car accident that resulted in a man having two toes amputated.

Rising Sydney Roosters playmaker Sandon Smith has avoided a conviction over his role in a car accident that resulted in a pedestrian having two toes amputated.

The 22-year-old halfback faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local for sentencing on Friday after pleading guilty to a serious driving offence relating to the March 31 incident that was described by his lawyer as an unfortunate chain of events.
The court was told Smith was involved in the accident that started when he inched out of his driveway at Vaucluse in Sydney’s east and ended with a parked car being pushed onto the foot of a man who suffered serious injuries.
Last month, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm.
His solicitor David Newham tendered character references from Roosters chairman Nick Politis and coach Trent Robinson and told the court that Smith was acting like many would have done, describing the incident as a “very sad chain of events”.





Sandon Smith is expected to be a fixture of the Roosters side next year.
The court was also told that Smith had completed a traffic offenders program and twice apologised to the victim – once when he saw him on the street before using his connections at the Roosters to reach out to the victim’s wife.

Magistrate Scott Nash described Smith’s culpability as low and said while the victim’s injuries were serious, he declined against recording a conviction.

According to a set of police facts tendered to the court, Smith was attempting to inch his way out of a driveway on Old South Head Rd at Vaucluse on the morning of March 13.

At the time, his view to the right was obstructed by parked cars and he “continually edged” his vehicle to “gain a clear view of the oncoming traffic”.

At the same time, a Toyota Kluger was driving along Old South Head Rd when the female driver suddenly noticed Smith’s vehicle “appear in front of two parked vehicles and merge into her lane”, according to the court documents seen by NewsWire.

The female driver attempted to brake; however, she collided with the front of Smith’s car.

At the same time, a 38-year-old man was on the outside of his parked car and attempting to get his son out of the rear door.

The man’s vehicle was bumped forward, according to the police facts, pushing the wheel onto his right foot and leaving it wedged between the tyre and the kerb.



Smith did not have a conviction recorded after he was sentenced for a traffic accident on Friday. Picture: Supplied.
The court was told that upon hearing the man screaming, Smith rushed to his aid and was one of several people who freed him by lifting the car off his foot.

As a result of his injuries, the man underwent several rounds of surgery and his little toe had to be amputated, according to the police facts.

The court was also told he subsequently had a second toe amputated.

He also suffered further fractures in his fibular and right foot.

According to court documents, the man continues to see a psychiatrist, physiotherapist and pain specialist for his injuries and may need further surgeries.

On Friday, Smith was handed a two-year community release order.

Smith made his Roosters debut in 2023 and was a feature of their NRL side this year, including their finals run.

He is expected to start in the halves next year following Luke Keary’s move to the Super League and Sam Walker’s ACL injury.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...f6a1b56dc0b6db

[bondi.boy]

The court dispensed justice fairly today.

[mightyrooster]

Good to see common sense prevail in the court ruling today.

[King Salvo]

Sandon should be okay to start round 1 unless the Broncos kick up a stink depending on how long Mam is stood down for.

[Billy Gunn]

Good news for Sandon but I feel for the poor barstard missing a couple of toes and some broken bones

[SamKerrSimp]

Sandon should be okay to start round 1 unless the Broncos kick up a stink depending on how long Mam is stood down for.

What do the Broncos have to do with Sandon Smith?

[bondi.boy]

Good news for Sandon but I feel for the poor barstard missing a couple of toes and some broken bones

Sometimes there are just freak accidents.
I'd bet money this same scenario accident (and result) never happens again.

[bondi.boy]

Sandon should be okay to start round 1 unless the Broncos kick up a stink depending on how long Mam is stood down for.

Sandon was not convicted of anything.
Not drunk.
Not drugged.
Not speeding.
Had valid licence.
Driving a registered car.
Any negligence attributed to him was at a very low level.
There's no way the NRL should be able to suspend him.
If it does, the Club should protest loudly.

[ism22]

The court dispensed justice fairly today.

Yep I'm glad they recorded no conviction as it really didn't sound as though he was being careless at all. It was just really bad luck (and IMO the SUV probably wasn't careful enough if anything as they even admitted that he just appeared outta nowhere... guess what... cars don't just appear outta nowhere!!!)

Still a bit dirty that this is a finding of guilt as various authorities can ask 'has there ever been a finding of guilt against you' and the answer is 'yes'. The NRL can also treat it as a finding of guilt. However I hope the NRL can show some commonsense and consider this matter to be done and dusted.

BTW kudos to him for lifting the car off the guy's foot! I know Sandon's not a big dude but I presume that unless they used a jack, his strength played a significant role in lifting the car.

[bondi.boy]

Yep I'm glad they recorded no conviction as it really didn't sound as though he was being careless at all. It was just really bad luck (and IMO the SUV probably wasn't careful enough if anything as they even admitted that he just appeared outta nowhere... guess what... cars don't just appear outta nowhere!!!)

Still a bit dirty that this is a finding of guilt as various authorities can ask 'has there ever been a finding of guilt against you' and the answer is 'yes'. The NRL can also treat it as a finding of guilt. However I hope the NRL can show some commonsense and consider this matter to be done and dusted.

BTW kudos to him for lifting the car off the guy's foot! I know Sandon's not a big dude but I presume that unless they used a jack, his strength played a significant role in lifting the car.

"Has there ever been a finding of guilt against you".

"I was found to be at fault in a car accident".

[007]

What do the Broncos have to do with Sandon Smith?

It's irrelevant. But what they (Broncos) will do is use this to help precious little Ezra.

Totally different incidents and one at least 50 times worse than the other but that is the game they (Broncos) will play. Watch this space. Precious monkey boy's case is on Monday. Not holding my breath for a fair outcome. If that pretentious crybaby doesn't do time in jail time it will speak volumes of the law. And if that's the case, I don't hold any hope of the NRL handing down a suspension of at least 10 times more (plus a hefty fine to compensate the victims) than what was handed to Spencer for an innocuous name call.

Quite simply, that brain dead fool should never play Rugby League ever again.

[SamKerrSimp]

It's irrelevant. But what they (Broncos) will do is use this to help precious little Ezra.

Totally different incidents and one at least 50 times worse than the other but that is the game they (Broncos) will play. Watch this space. Precious monkey boy's case is on Monday. Not holding my breath for a fair outcome. If that pretentious crybaby doesn't do time in jail time it will speak volumes of the law. And if that's the case, I don't hold any hope of the NRL handing down a suspension of at least 10 times more (plus a hefty fine to compensate the victims) than what was handed to Spencer for an innocuous name call.

Quite simply, that brain dead fool should never play Rugby League ever again.

I don't think that Mam will do jail time or have any serious punishment because he didn't get charged with grevious bodily harm or anything related to the injuries sustained by the little girl he will get a slap on the wrist from the courts and an even lighter punishment from the NRL at worst he misses the first 4 rounds for bringing the game in to disrepute and the Broncos have Hunt to fill in at 5/8 now they can pretend to punish him without it impacting their performance too much.

[mightyrooster]

I don't think that Mam will do jail time or have any serious punishment because he didn't get charged with grevious bodily harm or anything related to the injuries sustained by the little girl he will get a slap on the wrist from the courts and an even lighter punishment from the NRL at worst he misses the first 4 rounds for bringing the game in to disrepute and the Broncos have Hunt to fill in at 5/8 now they can pretend to punish him without it impacting their performance too much.

Agree. It’s the charges which are baffling, and light for Mam.