Crash victim pleads guilty over pub brawl

By Bree Fuller
Updated November 6 2012 - 1:01am, first published October 12 2010 - 10:01am
Crash victim pleads guilty over pub brawl
Crash victim pleads guilty over pub brawl
The horrific car crash in which three men died in September 2008, and (right) survivor Daniel Schroeder.
The horrific car crash in which three men died in September 2008, and (right) survivor Daniel Schroeder.

The sole survivor of a horrific car crash that claimed the lives of three young men has appeared in court after getting into a fight on one of his dead mate's birthdays.Badly burned and suffering infections, Daniel Schroeder fought bravely for his life after being pulled from the wreckage of a crash that killed workmates Adam Nall, 27, Aaron Sinadinovic, 24, and Roach Bannerman, 19, on September 19, 2008.The four young men had been enjoying a few drinks together after work at the Unanderra Hotel before the tragic accident.Yesterday, Wollongong Local Court heard Schroeder had been drinking at the same pub on May 1 this year, when he got into an argument with a group of patrons.During the altercation he lifted a table and threw it in the direction of one of the men.While security officers attempted to separate the groups, one of the men returned fire and threw a table in the direction of Schroeder and his friends, hitting a security officer.The officer suffered a deep laceration to the head and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.Schroeder, of Dapto, and two other men were subsequently charged with affray.Yesterday the court heard the 23-year-old had had no counselling since the crash and still suffered significantly because of it. His distress was aggravated on the day in question because of a recent death in his girlfriend's family and the fact that May 1 was the birthday of one of his dead mates, the court was told.Sentencing Schroeder, Magistrate Ian Guy - who, as coroner, was familiar with the accident - took into account the trauma he had suffered."I have absolutely no doubt that your involvement in the crash was an extremely traumatic event," he said."But unless you address your problems and unless you fix whatever is causing you distress, the court will fix it up and send you to [jail]."Schroeder, who pleaded guilty to the offence, was ordered to perform 170 hours' community service.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Get the latest Wollongong news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.