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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Matthew Kelly

Left for dead: 'I was lying there screaming as loud as I could'

Rachel Williams is recovering in John Hunter Hospital. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

As a fog of pain and panic descended, Rachel Williams looked up at the car that had just left her for dead.

It had stopped about 100 metres away. There wasn't enough light or time to make out its make or registration, just the fact that it was silver or champagne coloured and possibly a Camry.

It appeared as if the driver had briefly stopped to see how badly the person they had hit had been injured before taking off.

Ms Williams had been crossing Hawthorne Street, Beresfield with her dogs Scrappy and Scooby at 5.30am last Monday.

The car had been travelling west on Anderson Drive before it veered onto the wrong side of Hawthorne Street, striking Ms Williams on the pedestrian crossing.

"The whole incident felt fast and slow at the same time," she said.

Intersection of Anderson Drive and Hawthorn Street, Beresfield.

"The car wasn't travelling that fast because I remember I had enough time to slam my hands on the bonnet. Then it just sped up and jumped forward and hit me.

"I rolled off to the side. I just remember thinking 'keep rolling so it doesn't hit me again'.

"I was lying there screaming as loud as I could.

"People came out of their houses to help and so did the school cleaner."

Her dogs ran off in the commotion that followed and made their way home uninjured.

While she has no reason to believe she was targeted, Ms Williams said she was left wondering.

"I don't know if it was just in my head or not, but that's what it felt like," she said.

"It felt like they (turned off Anderson Drive) and were aiming for me."

Later that day Ms Williams, a single mother, underwent a five-hour operation at John Hunter Hospital to secure her broken tibia with a plate and screws.

She is hoping to be discharged from hospital later this week, but it will still be another six to eight weeks before she can put weight on her leg. Then a six to 12 month rehabilitation journey begins.

Her mother will help her with domestic duties but her work as a remedial massage therapist will have to be put on hold for the foreseeable future.

Even though the driver is yet to be identified, Ms Williams is hoping to make a CTP claim to help cover some of her costs.

The maximum penalty for failing to stop at the scene of an accident is 18 months jail.

Maitland Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

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