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Channel Nine NRL commentator Mathew Thompson under investigation over car crash
A Channel Nine sports commentator is at the centre of a police investigation after he allegedly crashed into a car at a childcare centre and fled on foot when he was confronted.
Mathew Thompson, 35, is a rugby league commentator for Nine's Wide World of Sports who frequently calls NRL games, most recently on Sunday for Nine's coverage of the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters match.
A witness, who wanted only to be identified as Peter, said Thompson was behind the wheel of a car that drove erratically in Willoughby on June 1 and caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Peter and his wife were picking up their two daughters at a childcare centre on Penkivil Street in Willoughby – 500 metres from Channel Nine's headquarters – at about 4.45pm.
They arrived in separate cars, with Peter's wife parking in front of the centre about two minutes earlier and walking inside.
As he turned onto Penkivil Road, Peter said a charcoal grey Mazda SUV drove out of the Coles Express service station and cut him off. The Mazda then allegedly ploughed into the side of his wife's Volkswagen Polo at about 40 or 50 kilometres an hour, causing $9000 of damage.
Peter said the car drove away at speed but soon stopped when it turned into a lane and was met with a dead-end.
"I was thinking, OK they're going to pull over now, but the car just got faster and faster," he said. "I tried to follow but I couldn't. In the end I got to the corner, turned left, and it was parked at the bollards at the end of the street. So I pulled up behind it."
Peter said he waited for a few seconds then walked up to the other car, where he saw the driver appeared to be asleep at the wheel.
"I tapped on the window, no response, opened the door and then shook the driver and they kind of woke up," he said.
"I said to him 'Are you OK? Do you have any injuries? You've just been in an accident'.
"He proceeded to get out of the car in a kind of, you know, it was a Tiger Woods impersonation. I don't want to beat around the bush, the guy was wasted. Completely wasted."
Mr Thompson claimed he wasn't coping well with his wife's terminal illness before he offered to pay for the damage and took out his wallet, Peter said.
"He said 'I'll pay for everything' and pulled out his driver's licence, which I took a photo of straight away, then I just called the cops," he said.
"He's written off a car, left the scene, wasted, you know.
"While I was calling the police he absconded. He's legged it. The police showed up about 10 minutes later."
Peter said Mr Thompson left his car unlocked and the keys still inside. He left behind two Channel Nine lanyards on the passenger seat, including one which identified him as "broadcast crew" for the network's NRL matches.
"His car was then locked by police, and they took the keys, and they've driven off looking for the guy."
When Peter spoke to police the next day, they told him they were unable to perform a breath test on Mr Thompson as when they finally spoke to him, more than two hours had passed since the crash.
A police spokesperson confirmed officers responded to the car accident on June 1.
"It is believed a Mazda CX7 struck a VW Polo that was parked in Willoughby Road near the intersection of Penkivil Street," the spokesperson said on Sunday.
"Police continue with their inquiries into the matter."
It is understood Mr Thompson has "absolutely denied" being intoxicated at the time of the crash and willingly exchanged details with the driver at the scene.
A source close to Mr Thompson said he hadn't had any contact with police since immediately after the accident and was shocked to hear it was under investigation.
It is also understood he left his car at the scene because tyre damage meant he couldn't drive it.
Peter said the crash could have easily been fatal, if his wife or daughter had been near the car when it was hit or the SUV had mounted the pavement where parents stand to wait.
"Luckily there was no one in it, but that's only luck. Blind, absolute luck," he said.
"If [my wife's] car wasn't there, the car would've actually gone up on the pavement and through the front fence of the childcare centre.
"As a parent I would be hoping that, whatever the law has to take care of individuals who behave like this, that that occurs. I'd like to see that progressed to the full extent.
"My concern is this guy is behaving in this manner and he's a public figure, and that's completely inappropriate. He had multiple opportunities to stop, which he didn't."
A spokesperson for Channel Nine said they had no comment. Mr Thompson was also contacted for a response on Sunday.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/channel-n...stigation-over-car-crash-20170610-gwoopz.html
A Channel Nine sports commentator is at the centre of a police investigation after he allegedly crashed into a car at a childcare centre and fled on foot when he was confronted.
Mathew Thompson, 35, is a rugby league commentator for Nine's Wide World of Sports who frequently calls NRL games, most recently on Sunday for Nine's coverage of the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters match.
A witness, who wanted only to be identified as Peter, said Thompson was behind the wheel of a car that drove erratically in Willoughby on June 1 and caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Peter and his wife were picking up their two daughters at a childcare centre on Penkivil Street in Willoughby – 500 metres from Channel Nine's headquarters – at about 4.45pm.
They arrived in separate cars, with Peter's wife parking in front of the centre about two minutes earlier and walking inside.
As he turned onto Penkivil Road, Peter said a charcoal grey Mazda SUV drove out of the Coles Express service station and cut him off. The Mazda then allegedly ploughed into the side of his wife's Volkswagen Polo at about 40 or 50 kilometres an hour, causing $9000 of damage.
Peter said the car drove away at speed but soon stopped when it turned into a lane and was met with a dead-end.
"I was thinking, OK they're going to pull over now, but the car just got faster and faster," he said. "I tried to follow but I couldn't. In the end I got to the corner, turned left, and it was parked at the bollards at the end of the street. So I pulled up behind it."
Peter said he waited for a few seconds then walked up to the other car, where he saw the driver appeared to be asleep at the wheel.
"I tapped on the window, no response, opened the door and then shook the driver and they kind of woke up," he said.
"I said to him 'Are you OK? Do you have any injuries? You've just been in an accident'.
"He proceeded to get out of the car in a kind of, you know, it was a Tiger Woods impersonation. I don't want to beat around the bush, the guy was wasted. Completely wasted."
Mr Thompson claimed he wasn't coping well with his wife's terminal illness before he offered to pay for the damage and took out his wallet, Peter said.
"He said 'I'll pay for everything' and pulled out his driver's licence, which I took a photo of straight away, then I just called the cops," he said.
"He's written off a car, left the scene, wasted, you know.
"While I was calling the police he absconded. He's legged it. The police showed up about 10 minutes later."
Peter said Mr Thompson left his car unlocked and the keys still inside. He left behind two Channel Nine lanyards on the passenger seat, including one which identified him as "broadcast crew" for the network's NRL matches.
"His car was then locked by police, and they took the keys, and they've driven off looking for the guy."
When Peter spoke to police the next day, they told him they were unable to perform a breath test on Mr Thompson as when they finally spoke to him, more than two hours had passed since the crash.
A police spokesperson confirmed officers responded to the car accident on June 1.
"It is believed a Mazda CX7 struck a VW Polo that was parked in Willoughby Road near the intersection of Penkivil Street," the spokesperson said on Sunday.
"Police continue with their inquiries into the matter."
It is understood Mr Thompson has "absolutely denied" being intoxicated at the time of the crash and willingly exchanged details with the driver at the scene.
A source close to Mr Thompson said he hadn't had any contact with police since immediately after the accident and was shocked to hear it was under investigation.
It is also understood he left his car at the scene because tyre damage meant he couldn't drive it.
Peter said the crash could have easily been fatal, if his wife or daughter had been near the car when it was hit or the SUV had mounted the pavement where parents stand to wait.
"Luckily there was no one in it, but that's only luck. Blind, absolute luck," he said.
"If [my wife's] car wasn't there, the car would've actually gone up on the pavement and through the front fence of the childcare centre.
"As a parent I would be hoping that, whatever the law has to take care of individuals who behave like this, that that occurs. I'd like to see that progressed to the full extent.
"My concern is this guy is behaving in this manner and he's a public figure, and that's completely inappropriate. He had multiple opportunities to stop, which he didn't."
A spokesperson for Channel Nine said they had no comment. Mr Thompson was also contacted for a response on Sunday.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/channel-n...stigation-over-car-crash-20170610-gwoopz.html
