Brave schoolboy speaks months after being run down while crossing road
By Ashley Nickel For Daily Mail Australia[1]
Published: 01:25, 28 November 2023 | Updated: 01:25, 28 November 2023
A 14-year-old boy, who was struck by a teenage driver, is now back on his feet after months of rehabilitation – but he says the mental scars from the incident will take much longer to heal.
Perth[2] teenager Robert Corps was left for dead in an alleged hit-and-run crash on William St in Beckenham, southeast Perth, in September.
CCTV footage reveals that the 19-year-old driver from Beckenham did not stop immediately after hitting Robert but instead pulled over at a nearby service station to contact the police.
The impact was so powerful that it propelled Robert several meters down the road, causing him to collide head-first with a curb.
As a result, he suffered a broken leg and sustained significant abrasions, including on his face.
Perth teenager Robert Corps was the victim of an alleged hit-and-run crash in September (pictured, Robert in hospital)
‘You don’t really trust humanity as much as what you did before,’ Robert told 7News[3].
It is believed that the five pedestrians who hurried to assist Robert after the crash played a crucial role in saving his life.
The driver has been charged with failing to stop after an incident resulting in grievous bodily harm.
While Robert is back on his feet, his mother believes it’ll take years for him to heal from the mental scars caused by the crash.
‘Robert wouldn’t be going through all the [questions of] why didn’t she stop, why did she hit me, why didn’t she help?,’ she said.
Detectives said the 19-year-old driver wouldn’t have faced any criminal charges if she had stopped after the crash instead of allegedly driving away.
She now faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted.
It’s believed five pedestrians (above) that rushed to help Robert after the crash saved his life
Robert (pictured with his mother this week) said he doesn’t ‘really trust humanity as much’ since the crash
‘[Drivers are] worried about getting in trouble but they make it far worse for themselves by leaving the scene,’ Major Crash Detective Senior Constable Jamie Crosby said.
There have been 11 hit-and-run crashes resulting in grievous bodily harm or death in Western Australia so far this year.
WA Police said that number is significantly higher than previous years.