Indian student driver runs over athlete

SYDNEY: One student was killed and another was seriously injured in Melbourne's Southbank on Wednesday when an Indian teenager, with a learner driving licence, drunk and overspeeding, lost control of his car and hit them.

Puneet Puneet, 19, was driving at 150 km/hour in a 60 km/hour zone and had a blood alcohol level three times over the limit, when he lost control of the car and crashed into two students, who were in Melbourne for the Australian University Games.

The nursing student and athlete from Queensland's Griffith University, 19-year-old Dean Byron Hofstee, and his 20-year-old friend Clancy Coker were standing outside their hotel on the footpath at 1 a.m., when the Indian student's car ploughed into them, killing Hofstee and seriously injuring Coker.

Coker is said to be in a serious but stable condition at the Alfred Hospital after suffering head injuries, fractures to his leg and possible fractures to his pelvis.

The Indian student, who has been in Australia for the past 18 months, Wednesday appeared in Melbourne Magistrate's Court on charges of culpable driving and was granted bail on stringent conditions which include not driving a car, surrendering his passport and reporting to police five days a week.

He will reappear in court on Jan 21 next year.

A 23-year-old male passenger in the car also sustained serious injuries and was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital.