Young Sydney Roosters playmaker Sandon Smith has avoided a conviction, but has been handed a two-year conditional release order after he was involved in a car incident earlier this year.
The 22-year-old, who is expected to wear the number seven jersey for the Roosters during the first half of the 2025 campaign as Sam Walker recovers from an ACL injury, pled guilty last month to one count of negligent driving causing greivous bodily harm.
The incident saw a pedestrian have two toes amputated after Smith allegedly moved out of his driveway in Vaucluse on the morning of March 13 this year with News Corp newswire saying court documents revealed that as Smith moved out of his driveway, his view was obscured by parked cars.
In doing so, he moved into oncoming traffic where a female driver attempted to brake, but couldn't do so in time and collided with Smith's car. Smith then, in the movement of being hit, crashed into a parked car where a 38-year-old man was standing attempting to get his son out of the rear door.
That pushed the parked vehicle onto the man's foot, causing what was reportedly described in court as 'serious injuries'.
Smith, who has apologised to the man twice and completed a traffic offenders program, was among the first to aid the man and also helped lift the car off his foot.
The victim in the accident had several surgeries and also had fractures in his fibula and right foot along with the toe injuries.
Smith's non-conviction came after character references and with Magistrate Scott Nash reportedly telling the court that Smith's culpability was low.
His lawyer, speaking per 9News, said Smith fells terrible about the incident.
"This was a terrible โฆ freakish accident that Smith feels terrible about," Newham said outside Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.
"There was no recklessness whatsoever involved and he's apologised profusely to the gentleman who was seriously injured."
