Two men allegedly run over during road-rage incident near Forster
A 56-year-old man was flown to John Hunter Hospital with pelvic and head injuries. (Supplied: Carey Harris)
In short:
Two men are in hospital with serious injuries after allegedly being run over during a road-rage incident on the NSW Mid North Coast.
A 15-year-old boy also suffered facial injuries after allegedly being punched in the face when he tried to help the men.
What's next?
The court formally refused bail for 50-year-old James Bell, charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and he will return to court on January 12.
A man has been charged and two others are seriously injured after they were allegedly run over during a road-rage incident on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Police say two men and a 15-year-old boy were travelling north on The Lakes Way at Darawank near Forster on Sunday afternoon when they became involved in an argument with a man driving a ute.
Police will allege the ute driver deliberately rammed the car the men were travelling in, and ran them over when they got out of their vehicle.
Police say the teenage boy was allegedly punched when he tried to help.
A 56-year-old man was flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital suffering pelvic fractures and head injuries, while a 39-year-old man is being treated in the Port Macquarie Base Hospital for spinal and facial injuries.
Both are reported to be in a serious but stable condition.
The 15-year-old boy was treated in the Port Macquarie Base Hospital for facial injuries.
Police arrested and charged James Bell, 50, with two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Mr Bell, from Diamond Beach, appeared before Magistrate Karen Stafford in online bail court this morning from Forster Police Station.
Wearing a blue paper coverall, he agreed with his Legal Aid solicitor Georgina Davey that he was not applying for bail, which was formally refused.
Magistrate Stafford ordered him to return to Taree Local Court via audio-visual link on January 12.
Hallidays Point woman Freyja Cornish told the ABC she was stopped in traffic about four cars away from the crash scene.
The alleged road-rage incident caused major traffic delays near Forster on the NSW Mid North Coast. (Supplied: Steve Lea)
"I was parked directly across from the white ute driver, about 150 metres from the crash," Ms Cornish said.
"He was in the car and looked a bit stressed and shocked and he still had the car running until the police came.
"Police said it's turned into a crime scene, so 'turn around and go back'."
Traffic on The Lakes Way was affected for seven hours during the police investigation.