A man has been charged following a fatal single-vehicle crash in Port Stephens late last year.
About 10.30pm on Sunday 14 December 2025, police were patrolling The Bucketts Way at Limeburners Creek – about 12km east of Clarence Town – when they located a 36-year-old man on the side of the road.
Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were told the man's vehicle had crashed nearby.
A short time later, officers located the vehicle that had left the road and crashed into a tree.
The passenger, a woman aged 35, was located deceased in the vehicle and was unable to be revived.
The driver was taken to John Hunter Hospital for assessment and mandatory testing.
The Crash Investigation Unit commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Following extensive inquiries, police arrested the 36-year-old man at Newcastle Police Station yesterday (Wednesday 29 April 2026).
He was charged with six offences,
- Dangerous driving occasioning death-drive under influence
- Negligent driving (occasioning death)
- Negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm)
- Drive vehicle, illicit drug present in blood etc
- Drive motor vehicle while licence suspended, and
- Not give particulars to police.
Police will allege in court that the driver was under the influence of methamphetamine, and his license was suspended at the time of the crash.
He was refused bail to appear before Bail Division Court 2 yesterday (Wednesday 29 April 2026), where he was formally refused bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday 24 June 2026.
