Picture: TODD LEWIS
DEFENCE counsel for a young man who crashed his utility into the Blue Lake last year has raised potential issues about compensation claims in relation to the incident.
Jack Michael Bayley, 23, was excused from attending the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he faced charges of driving disqualified, driving without due care and drink driving.
The charges relate to an incident where Bayley crashed his Mitsubishi Triton through a guard rail and plunged around 150 metres into the Blue Lake late on the evening of August 3 last year.
Remarkably, the defendant survived the incident after he was ejected from the vehicle just 20 metres from the water’s edge.
Following a four-hour cross-agency operation involving dozens of experienced emergency service staff, volunteers, a helicopter and a dinghy, Bayley was eventually retrieved from the volcanic landmark and transported to hospital with minor injuries.
A month later, SA Water coordinated a significant operation to retrieve the vehicle, which involved diving experts, a 220 tonne crane and dozens of other qualified staff.
At the time of the recovery, SA Water declined to comment on whether they would seek to recoup the costs from the defendant.
“At the moment, SA Water is covering those costs – our focus has been retrieving the car and making sure we do it safely,” SA Water senior production and treatment manager Lisa Hannant said at the time of the recovery operation.
“We will now turn our focus to other issues.”
In court on Tuesday, defence counsel advised the court there could be “significant issues” in relation to compensation.
“We have received nothing in respect of compensation orders,” the defendant’s lawyer said.
Magistrate Teresa Anderson requested the prosecution to provide urgent disclosure of that material.
The matter was adjourned until next month to allow the material to be provided.
