Motorbike used in serious Echuca hit-run hidden from police, Bendigo County Court hears

Joshua Abbott, 24, and Daniel Norris, 34, appeared in the County Court in Bendigo on Monday to admit their involvement in the crash, which critically injured a 39-year-old man.

Abbott pleaded guilty to negligent driving causing serious injury, failing to stop and render assistance, and driving while disqualified.

Norris pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact, committing an indictable offence while on bail, and driving while unlicensed.

The court heard about 12.15am on March 10, 2019, the victim was walking along the shared walking track between Campaspe Esplanade and McKenzie Street in Echuca.

Abbott was riding his black Honda CRF 250 dirt bike on the walking track when he collided with the victim.

The dirt bike Abbott was riding was not registered and did not have a head light.

Investigators determined Abbott would have been travelling somewhere between 41km/h and 50km/h when the victim was struck.

Two teenage boys came to the aid of the victim and Abbott, and they called Triple Zero about 12.16am.

The boys rolled the victim into the recovery position while they wanted for paramedics to arrive. They also helped Abbott, who was partly trapped under the bike.

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The court heard once Abbott was back on his feet, he re-started the bike and rode away.

Crown prosecutor Samantha Holmes told the court Abbott told the witnesses not to call an ambulance.

The 39-year-old victim suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures to the face, neck, skull, pelvis, and elbow, abdominal injuries, and chest injuries.

He was treated at the scene before being flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with life-threatening injuries, which need ongoing care.

Victim impact statements from the victim and his sister were read out in court.

The 39-year-old said a brain injury was a "life sentence of physical and mental challenges" and he hoped the offenders were punished because they had ruined his life.

The victim's sister told the court she had been struggling to cope since the crash, and that she had withdrawn socially and from family because of anxiety and depression.

The court heard investigators assessed the scene on March 10, 2019, and found a pair of goggles and a helmet mouthpiece.

The court heard there was also a large gouge mark and some of the bike's paint left on the bitumen.

Police searched Abbott's home later that afternoon. He was asleep when police arrived but had a visibly swollen black eye and swelling at the shoulder and back area.

Abbott's mother told police he received the injuries during a fight with his brother the night before.

Police tried to interview Abbott but the interview was suspended because his condition worsened. He was assessed in hospital and later released.

Abbott was interviewed again the following day, when he provided no comment to police.

Police interviewed Abbott's brother, who denied any knowledge of a fight.

Officers questioned Daniel Norris on March 13, 2019, and searched his address. He denied any knowledge of the incident and told police he had not seen Abbott "for about five days".

The court heard during recorded phone conversations, Norris told two women in a correction facility he had attended Abbott's address after the collision and agreed to move the bike to his own property.

The court heard investigators obtained CCTV footage of Norris' home. The vision showed Norris moving the dirt bike into his address about 1.45am on March 10, 2019 - about 90 minutes after the crash.

About 1.26pm that day, the footage showed Norris riding the bike outside of the property before returning an hour later without the bike. Norris was carrying a bike helmet when he returned.

Norris was interviewed again on May 16, 2019. He told police he only heard about the crash in reports after the collision.

Investigators found the dirt bike in Lake Cooper on July 9, 2019. The court heard the bike had been partially burnt, painted green, and was covered in shrubs.

Police searched Norris' address on August 16, 2019, where they found a motorbike top, helmet, and goggles.

The items were the same as the ones he was wearing and carrying in the CCTV footage.

The court heard Norris later admitted to police he rode the bike away from his property the day after the collision. He said Abbott had asked him to because he had sold the bike.

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Norris' defence counsel Robert Timms told the court Norris was "acting out of loyalty for his friend" and was using drugs at the time of the incident.

"There is nothing remarkable about my client," Mr Timms said. "He was a hard-working man who got involved with drugs and they clouded his judgement."

Abbott's defence counsel William Blake said there was no evidence Abbott was affected by drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.

Mr Blake said it was Abbott's immaturity and reckless attitude that led to him driving the night of the collision, despite being disqualified at the time.

Mr Blake conceded Abbott's offending was "very serious" and would warrant a term of imprisonment.

But he submitted Abbott's young age, early guilty plea, and family support showed he had good prospects of rehabilitation.

Crown prosecutor Samantha Holmes submitted a significant term of imprisonment was required for Abbott.

Ms Holmes said the negligence charge was at the "upper level of seriousness" because he was riding an unregistered bike with no lights on a shared pedestrian footpath.

Ms Holmes said the injuries to the victim were "as serious as it gets". She said Abbott also had a number of prior driving offences.

Ms Holmes told the court Norris' actions were an "extremely serious example of that type of offence".

She said the submission that Norris had been acting to assist a friend did not take into account the seriousness of the offending.

Judge Sarah Dawes said she would need time to consider the matter before sentencing. She said there were a number of significant mitigating factors.

Abbott and Norris were remanded in custody. They will be sentenced at a later date.

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