POLICE say a man who suffered critical head injuries when he fell from a moving vehicle at Mayfield in December had moments earlier been punching the windscreen while lying across the roof.
Liam Sharman, an 18-year-old p-plater, has been charged with a number of serious offences, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact occasioning grievous bodily harm, after a 20-year-old man, who police said had been a friend of his, fell from the roof of a BMW outside an 18th birthday party at Mayfield on December 22.
Mr Sharman, who is represented by solicitor John Anthony, appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday.
He has not entered any pleas and the matter was adjourned until April 22.
The Newcastle Herald can reveal that crash investigators claim the 20-year-old man became "enraged" at Mr Sharman and another man in the front passenger seat of the BMW during a short trip to a bottle shop and "commenced hitting them across the head from behind".
Mr Sharman has swerved to the left in an attempt to cause the victim to fall from his vehicle.
Crash investigators allege in a statement of police facts.
"The source of the tension between the parties is unclear," crash investigators say in a statement of police facts.
Mr Sharman drove back to the party where the 20-year-old man had to "be forcibly removed" from the car, police say.
Mr Sharman drove from the scene but returned a short time later, when it is alleged the 20-year-old climbed onto the bonnet of the car and up onto the roof.
"While climbing up the windscreen, the victim has allegedly stomped his foot on the windscreen, causing it to cave inwards and crack," police say in court documents.
Mr Sharman allegedly kept driving slowly with the 20-year-old laying across the roof and bashing the windscreen with his fists, police say.
"Mr Sharman has swerved to the left in an attempt to cause the victim to fall from his vehicle," police say.
The 20-year-old fell from the vehicle and landed on the roadway, suffering critical head injuries.
Mr Sharman is accused of failing to stop and assist the man with police alleging he turned a corner and continued driving at "rapid speed".
