A MAN charged over the hit-and-run death of 91-year-old Bernie Farrell, who was struck and killed while crossing the street in Mayfield in 2017, allegedly admitted to being behind the wheel at the time of the crash and told police he was under the influence of methamphetamine, a court has heard.
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With a jail term for unrelated offences set to expire in less than two weeks, Benjamin Reece Matheson, 25, applied for bail in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday, with his solicitor arguing he should be released to deal with his extensive drug and alcohol issues.
Mr Farrell was crossing Stedman Street in Mayfield on the way to a haircut appointment on November 24, 2017, when he was struck by an SUV.
The driver did not stop and Mr Farrell died at John Hunter Hospital three days later.
Mr Matheson was arrested at Wellington Correctional Centre in September and charged with dangerous driving occasioning death - drive under the influence and failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death after a nearly two-year investigation into the death of Mr Farrell.
The court heard that after his arrest, Mr Matheson made a number of admissions to police, including being behind the wheel of the car involved in the hit-and-run and being under the influence of methamphetamine. "He made admissions to being intoxicated by ice and made admissions to being intoxicated to the extent that it would have affected his driving," DPP solicitor Tara Eshman told Magistrate Stephen Olischlager.
Mr Olischlager denied the application, citing the strength of the prosecution case, the admissions allegedly made by Mr Matheson and his criminal history.
The matter was adjourned until January 9.