Colin Johnson leaves court.
Camera IconColin Johnson leaves court. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Elderly man in court over Uber Eats cyclist hit-run

Matt ZisSouthern Gazette

AN ELDERLY man has faced court accused of running down a food delivery cyclist in Carlisle and leaving the Chilean woman badly injured on the roadside.

Colin Clive Johnson was allegedly behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi Pajero and driving through the roundabout at Bishopsgate and Oats streets on the night of March 31 when the car hit Uber Eats worker Javiera Morgado.

She was found about 80m further along Bishopsgate Street, having allegedly been dragged underneath the car.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Police charged 86-year-old Mr Johnson nearly three weeks later after multiple appeals for the driver to come forward.

The Carlisle man is facing charges of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and ensure the victim received assistance and failing to report the crash.

He was quiet and described by his lawyer as emotional during a brief appearance at Perth Magistrates’ Court this morning, where he simply acknowledged the three charges stemming from the after-dark incident.

Colin Johnson leaves court.
Camera IconColin Johnson leaves court. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Outside court, Mr Johnson did not want to answer questions about whether he understood the seriousness of the charges or if he had even realised he had hit a person.

Mrs Morgado was recently released from hospital but has follow-up medical appointments as an outpatient.

The young Chilean woman had reportedly only started working for the food delivery operation a week earlier and was living in Perth with her husband after they were married late last year.

Mr Johnson was remanded on bail and will return to court on June 14.