Perth driver blames hernia for hitting 17-year-old girl at Burswood car meet

2 hours ago 1

A Perth driver has told a magistrate ahead of his sentencing that he was suffering with intense pain from a hernia, causing him to accidentally accelerate to 104km/h before crashing into - and seriously injuring - a 17-year-old girl who was a spectator at a car meet.

Chun Lai Yuen, a 25-year-old student from Hong Kong, told Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday he was not taking part in the Monday Meets event on July 14 in Burswood, but was instead out with a friend at the casino and trying to get home when he was struck with debilitating hernia pain.

Caitlyn Dickson, 17, was seriously injured when she was hit by a car at a Monday Meets event in Burswood in July.

Yuen’s lawyer said his client was trying to leave the casino car park and head to dinner in the city when he got caught up in congested traffic caused by a gathering for car enthusiasts along Camfield Drive.

“He was trying to go one way, but there was a lot of traffic so had to go another way,” he said.

“He felt a sudden pain from a hernia he has … in response to the pain he panicked and accelerated.

“The victim entered the road facing away from Mr Yuen - he didn’t stop in time so he hit her at speed. That is accepted.”

Yuen also claimed he removed the SD card from his dashcam before police arrived as a result of “threats made by onlookers”.

“He’s feared something might happen to him,” his lawyer told the court, adding that Yuen then put the card into his pocket, but claimed police must have dislodged it when they searched him.

Caitlyn Dickson, who attended the court on Thursday for what was supposed to be Yuen’s sentencing hearing, was flung into the air and spun twice after she was struck by Yuen’s car just before 10pm in a 40km/h zone.

In shocking footage played to the court, Caitlyn can be seen being thrown four metres into the air by the impact before hitting the roadway. She suffered a torn aorta, fractured pelvis, fractured elbow, and bladder and spleen tears.

Yuen was travelling at 104km/h before slamming his foot on the brake and hitting Caitlyn at 87km/h, prosecutors said.

Last month he pleaded guilty to driving dangerously causing grievous bodily harm in circumstances of aggravation and was due to be sentenced on Thursday. The hearing has now been adjourned until January 21.