The alleged murderer accused of ramming his ex-partner off the road at high-speed near Molong has failed to appear in court due to injuries he sustained in the crash.
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Troy Andrew Armstrong allegedly crashed into a car carrying Kristy Armstrong and other passengers at 140km/h along Speedy Street, following a dispute on June 9, 2023.
The victims' supporters, dressed in purple, were present in the Orange Local Court public gallery when the case was mentioned on Thursday, September 7.
Armstrong has been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder and he was due to appear in court via an audio visual link.
However, solicitor Drew Hamilton said his client was unfit to appear on medical grounds. He did not go into detail and it was not clear if Armstrong is still in hospital or in jail.
A plea is yet to be entered and police prosecutor Sergeant Beau Riley said a brief of evidence should be compliant when the case returns to Orange Local Court on Thursday, October 5.
Mr Hamilton did not make a bail application on Armstrong's behalf and bail was formally refused.
Magistrate David Day requested Armstrong's appearance via AVL on the next occasion "if possible".
An apprehended violence order will also be carried over to the next court date.
Previously
In July Orange Local Court was told Armstrong was in intensive care at Royal North Shore Hospital, under full-time police guard. with "very serious head and spinal injuries".
He was 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."
Police 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 represented Armstrong and 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."
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