A MAN accused of ramming his ex-partner off the road at high speed near Molong has failed to appear in court, as it emerges he is in intensive care with "very serious head and spinal injuries".
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Troy Andrew Armstrong is alleged to have crashed into a car carrying Kristy Armstrong and other passengers at about 140 kilometres-per-hour along Speedy Road, following a dispute on June 9, 2023.
Police allege a number of threats were made in the lead-up to the fatal crash. He is charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. A plea is yet to be entered.
Armstrong was unable to attend a bail hearing at Orange Local Court on Tuesday. It emerged he is in a critical condition at the intensive care unit of Royal North Shore Hospital, under full-time police guard.
Armstrong is reported to have "very serious" spinal injuries and had a section of his skull removed.
An email from the hospital director tendered to the court said: "There is no guarantee he'll ever walk again."
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Prosecutor Carl Smith alleged Armstrong specifically targeted passengers in the vehicle and had made threats in the lead-up to the alleged attempted murder.
He said the man would represent an "extreme risk" if allowed to remain outside a prison facility, despite the injuries.
"[The passengers] were scared of him before, they're even more scared now," he said.
"If he thought his life was so worthless before, his reasons for living are now zero. He's an extremely dangerous person."
Solicitor Drew Hamilton, who represented Armstrong, told the court his client's condition meant he would not pose a risk in home detention bail, and argued a shift to jail would compromise treatment and risk assault or infection.
"I want to acknowledge the tragic circumstance, I can't imagine ... but today is about assessing risk," he said.
Magistrate David Day accepted jail may put recovery at risk, but found risk to the community was too high to do otherwise: "For that reason, bail is refused."
Troy Andrew Armstrong is yet to enter a plea. He will next front court on September 7, 2023 if fit.
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