EXCLUSIVE
The teenager accused of killing the SA police commissioner’s son has been banned from contacting his girlfriend as part of his bail conditions, Ny Breaking Australia can reveal.
Dhirren Randhawa, 18, was released on Monday after being charged over the alleged death of Charlie Stevens in Goolwa, south of Adelaide.
But under his parole, Randhawa cannot contact four eyewitnesses in the case, including his high school sweetheart, Montana Rose Bowd, 18.
Randhawa, a former Victor Harbor High School student with ambitions to become a doctor, has been dating Ms Bowd for the past year.
Dhirren Randhawa is pictured next to his mother Amreeta Stara
Under strict bail conditions, Randhawa is not allowed to have contact with or be within 100 meters of Ms Bowd. The advertiser reports.
The same conditions apply to the other three witnesses, each of whom is friends of Mr. Stevens.
Ms Bowd was in the front seat of Randhawa’s magnetic blue VW Golf hatchback when he allegedly hit Mr Stevens on Beach Road about 9pm on Friday.
Mr Stevens had been in the area with friends to attend school celebrations, which had just started that evening, in nearby Victor Harbor.
While on bail, Randhawa is also not allowed to drive or be behind the wheel of any car and must live with his mother, hypnotherapist and author Amreeta Stara, at their home in Encounter Bay, according to the Advertiser.
He must also be on good behavior, surrender his passport, remain in the state and cannot reapply for his license, which was disqualified by police at the time of his arrest.
His mother posted $15,000 bail for his release.
According to documents obtained by the Advertiser, Ms Bowd told South Australian police that Mr Stevens “went across the road into the path” of Randhawa’s car.
However, Mr Stevens’ friends – the other three witnesses – have given police a different version of events.
They claim Randhawa made a U-turn and drove onto the opposite side of the road, hitting Mr Stevens.
Charlie Stevens (pictured) remembered as a ‘beautiful boy’ by devastated loved ones
They said the group had stopped Randhawa moments earlier to ask if he could take them to school functions, but there was not enough room in his car.
Ms Bowd is not accused of any wrongdoing and there is no animosity between the groups.
Randhawa is said to have driven away before police officers arrested him a short time later on nearby Port Elliott Road.
Ms Bowd told officers that after Randhawa left the scene, he called his mother to ask whether he should call the police or go to the police station in person. She added that he was still on the phone when officers arrived.
Meanwhile, Mr Stevens was flown to Flinders Medical Center with an ‘irreversible brain injury’. His life support was turned off around 7pm on Saturday evening after family arrived from the interstate to say goodbye.
Randhawa has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of an accident after causing death and failing to actually answer questions.
He has yet to enter a plea to the charges, with the case postponed until early next year.
Dhirren Randhawa, 18, (pictured leaving Christies Beach Magistrates’ Court in Adelaide on Monday) has been charged in the death of Charlie Stevens. His mother is in pink on the right
If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison sentence of fifteen years and disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver’s license for ten years.
Mr Stevens’ death is the 101st fatality on South Australian roads this year, compared to just 61 in the same period last year.
Earlier this week, his father, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, shared a heartbreaking letter dedicated to his son, saying: “We will never forget your beautiful cheeky, disarming smile.”
Ms Stara offered her condolences to the Stevens family in a statement on Saturday.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the Stevens family and my heart breaks to think of the suffering and pain they are experiencing,” she said.
“Out of respect and recognizing that this is now a matter for the courts, I will not comment further at this time.”
Randhawa will appear in court at the Adelaide Magistrates Court in March.