'Only speeding a little bit': Driver's response moments after crash with teen rider

Dimity Quinlan was driving her white Nissan Pulsar northbound on Wattle Road, near Benson Avenue, about 6pm on February 11, 2020 when she fatally struck a 16-year-old boy while he travelled across the road.

Quinlan, from Shellharbour, has pleaded not guilty to a count of dangerous driving occasioning death during her NSW District Court trial in Wollongong.

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The Crown alleged the boy travelled down the footpath of Benson Avenue into the path of Quinlan's car as she accelerated through an amber traffic light, at 86km/h in a signposted 60km/h zone, and hit the black Diamondback BMX bike.

The Crown prosecutor told the jury they would ultimately need to decide whether Quinlan's driving at the time of impact was dangerous to another person.

Several witnesses who saw the collision were called to give evidence during the second day of the trial on Tuesday, with some finding it emotionally difficult to recall seeing the teen be hit, collide with the windscreen and land on the road.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was treated by paramedics at the scene before being flown to hospital where he later died.

The jury were read a statement from Lake Illawarra traffic highway patrol senior constable Mark Doherty who arrived a short time after the collision.

He said upon assessing and taking control of the scene, he saw the boy on the road with a "significant head injury" and a pool of blood while another officer cradled his head and applied pressure.

The officer also noted there was no helmet found at the scene.

Sen Con Doherty said in his statement that he spoke to Quinlan who was "pale", "visibly upset" and in "shock".

After Quinlan asked how the boy was she told Sen Con Doherty, "I saw him but I couldn't stop. He just came out", the court heard.

"I think I was speeding only a little bit."

Witness Aaron Carney told the jury he was driving behind Quinlan's car on Wattle Road and had a "clear view" when he saw the traffic light turn amber, looked down at his speedometre for a "split second" and then by the time he looked up Quinlan's car had gone through the intersection and collided with the boy.

Mandy Hockey said she was driving home in the southbound lane when saw the collision. She said she and Quinlan exited their cars at roughly the same time, where Quinlan said, "I've killed someone".

"She said she should have stopped but sped up to go through the orange light," Ms Hockey told the court before adding she comforted Quinlan.

Ms Hockey also said under cross examination the boy was "travelling fairly quickly" and did not stop when he approached the road.

Meanwhile, Donna Stevenson said she had come to a stop at Wattle Road, before turning into Benson Ave, because as approached the traffic lights it changed from green to amber to red.

She said she had enough time to stop but Quinlan's white car, which was slightly behind hers, "didn't stop, it went through the red light".

She added she didn't see brake lights but saw smoke.

"I heard a thud then I saw a young man come off the bike," Ms Stevenson said before adding she had seen the boy approach the intersection on the footpath of Benson Avenue.

Another witness who was on Benson Avenue when the collision occurred told the court she got out of her car and "ran to the boy" where she noticed he was wearing headphones and blood was on the road.

"I reassured him, told him 'everything was going to be OK", she said.

The woman also spoke to Quinlan following the collision describing her as "distraught" and she called Quinlan's partner to come to the scene.

Meanwhile, Tegan Baker was turning left onto Wattle Road from Benson Ave and stopped to assist.

She said she had a green arrow and moved forward when Quinlan's car went through the intersection and hit the boy, coming to a stop a short distance away.

Ms Barker was adamant she had seen the boy come from the hill on the western side of Wattle Road and enter the roadway not at the pedestrian crossing walkway.

Under cross examination from defence lawyer Ed Anderson Ms Barker denied she got the direction the boy came from wrong, and said he did not come from Benson Avenue.

Ms Barker said she called Triple 0 and was walking around the scene, relaying directions to other witnesses before paramedics and police officers arrived.

The trial continues.

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