Condition Improves for Child Critically Injured in NRL Fan Crash

A five-year-old girl's condition has improved after she was critically injured when a car plowed into fans gathered to watch the NRL grand final. The girl is now in a serious but stable condition, according to NSW Health.

Ten people were hospitalized following the incident on Saturday morning in Wallsend, near Newcastle. Six patients have since been discharged, with three remaining in stable condition. The young girl was initially in critical condition.

The crash occurred as fans gathered at a roundabout to farewell the Newcastle Knights before their journey to Sydney for the grand final. The team narrowly lost to the Roosters on Sunday.

Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, 18, a provisional driver, was allegedly behind the wheel of a BMW that veered into the crowd. Samarasinghe faced court on Sunday, charged with nine offenses including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving, and causing bodily harm by misconduct. He did not apply for bail and was formally refused.

Chris Clancy, one of the injured fans, described a festive atmosphere with cars honking and people waving before the incident. "The next thing, this car stops (at) the roundabout and then he just floored it on the wet ground, lost it," Clancy told AAP. "It happened in seconds, but when you stand there, seeing the car coming at you, I honestly thought I was going to die. It just felt like slow motion."

Clancy sustained fractures to his ribs, spine, and foot, along with a broken collarbone. Investigators do not believe the incident was deliberate, though reports of erratic driving prior to the crash have not been commented on by authorities.

Samarasinghe was taken to the hospital for mandatory testing. The bail court heard that the most serious charge, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment. Samarasinghe is scheduled to next appear at Newcastle Local Court on October 15.