Channel Nine NRL commentator Mathew Thompson under investigation over car crash
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Mathew Thompson under investigation over car crash
A Channel Nine sports commentator is at the centre of a police investigation after he allegedly crashed into a car at a childcare centre and fled on foot when he was confronted.
Mathew Thompson, 35, is a rugby league commentator for Nine’s Broad World of Sports who frequently calls NRL games, most recently on Sunday for Nine’s coverage of the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters match.
A witness, who desired only to be identified as Peter, said Thompson was behind the wheel of a car that drove erratically in Willoughby on June one and caused thousands of dollars in harm.
Peter and his wifey were picking up their two daughters at a childcare centre on Penkivil Street in Willoughby – five hundred metres from Channel Nine’s headquarters – at about Four.45pm.
They arrived in separate cars, with Peter’s wifey parking in front of the centre about two minutes earlier and walking inwards.
As he turned onto Penkivil Road, Peter said a charcoal grey Mazda SUV drove out of the Coles Express service station and cut him off. The Mazda then allegedly ploughed into the side of his wifey’s Volkswagen Polo at about forty or fifty kilometres an hour, causing $9000 of harm.
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Mathew Thompson (2nd from right) is a commentator for Channel Nine’s Broad World of Sports. He allegedly fled the scene of a car crash in Willoughby in Sydney’s north on June 1. Photo: Supplied
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Peter said the car drove away at speed but soon stopped when it turned into a lane and was met with a dead-end.
"I was thinking, OK they’re going to pull over now, but the car just got swifter and quicker," he said. "I attempted to go after but I couldn’t. In the end I got to the corner, turned left, and it was parked at the bollards at the end of the street. So I pulled up behind it."
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The witness took a photo of Mathew Thompson’s driver’s licence after confronting him following the crash. Photo: Supplied
Peter said he waited for a few seconds then walked up to the other car, where he witnessed the driver appeared to be asleep at the wheel.
"I tapped on the window, no response, opened the door and then shook the driver and they kind of woke up," he said.
"I said to him ‘Are you OK? Do you have any injuries? You’ve just been in an accident’.
"He proceeded to get out of the car in a kind of, you know, it was a Tiger Forest impersonation. I don’t want to strike around the pubic hair, the boy was wasted. Fully wasted."
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A witness claims Mathew Thompson left his keys in his car and Channel Nine office lanyards on the front seat of his car. Photo: Supplied
Mr Thompson claimed he wasn’t coping well with his wifey’s terminal illness before he suggested to pay for the harm and took out his wallet, Peter said.
"He said ‘I’ll pay for everything’ and pulled out his driver’s licence, which I took a photo of straight away, then I just called the cops," he said.
"He’s written off a car, left the scene, wasted, you know.
"While I was calling the police he absconded. He’s legged it. The police displayed up about ten minutes later."
Peter said Mr Thompson left his car unlocked and the keys still inwards. He left behind two Channel Nine lanyards on the passenger seat, including one which identified him as "broadcast squad" for the network’s NRL matches.
"His car was then locked by police, and they took the keys, and they’ve driven off looking for the fellow."
When Peter spoke to police the next day, they told him they were incapable to perform a breath test on Mr Thompson as when they eventually spoke to him, more than two hours had passed since the crash.
A police spokesperson confirmed officers responded to the car accident on June 1.
"It is believed a Mazda CX7 struck a VW Polo that was parked in Willoughby Road near the intersection of Penkivil Street," the spokesperson said on Sunday.
It is understood Mr Thompson has "absolutely denied" being intoxicated at the time of the crash and willingly exchanged details with the driver at the scene.
A source close to Mr Thompson said he hadn’t had any contact with police since instantly after the accident and was shocked to hear it was under investigation.
It is also understood he left his car at the scene because tyre harm meant he couldn’t drive it.
Peter said the crash could have lightly been fatal, if his wifey or daughter had been near the car when it was hit or the SUV had mounted the pavement where parents stand to wait.
"Fortunately there was no one in it, but that’s only luck. Blind, absolute luck," he said.
"If [my wifey’s] car wasn’t there, the car would’ve actually gone up on the pavement and through the front fence of the childcare centre.
"As a parent I would be hoping that, whatever the law has to take care of individuals who behave like this, that that occurs. I’d like to see that progressed to the total extent.
"My concern is this stud is behaving in this manner and he’s a public figure, and that’s fully inappropriate. He had numerous opportunities to stop, which he didn’t."
A spokesperson for Channel Nine said they had no comment. Mr Thompson was also contacted for a response on Sunday.
Channel Nine NRL commentator Mathew Thompson under investigation over car crash
Channel Nine NRL commentator Mathew Thompson under investigation over car crash
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Mathew Thompson under investigation over car crash
A Channel Nine sports commentator is at the centre of a police investigation after he allegedly crashed into a car at a childcare centre and fled on foot when he was confronted.
Mathew Thompson, 35, is a rugby league commentator for Nine’s Broad World of Sports who frequently calls NRL games, most recently on Sunday for Nine’s coverage of the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters match.
A witness, who wished only to be identified as Peter, said Thompson was behind the wheel of a car that drove erratically in Willoughby on June one and caused thousands of dollars in harm.
Peter and his wifey were picking up their two daughters at a childcare centre on Penkivil Street in Willoughby – five hundred metres from Channel Nine’s headquarters – at about Four.45pm.
They arrived in separate cars, with Peter’s wifey parking in front of the centre about two minutes earlier and walking inwards.
As he turned onto Penkivil Road, Peter said a charcoal grey Mazda SUV drove out of the Coles Express service station and cut him off. The Mazda then allegedly ploughed into the side of his wifey’s Volkswagen Polo at about forty or fifty kilometres an hour, causing $9000 of harm.
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Mathew Thompson (2nd from right) is a commentator for Channel Nine’s Broad World of Sports. He allegedly fled the scene of a car crash in Willoughby in Sydney’s north on June 1. Photo: Supplied
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Peter said the car drove away at speed but soon stopped when it turned into a lane and was met with a dead-end.
"I was thinking, OK they’re going to pull over now, but the car just got quicker and quicker," he said. "I attempted to go after but I couldn’t. In the end I got to the corner, turned left, and it was parked at the bollards at the end of the street. So I pulled up behind it."
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The witness took a photo of Mathew Thompson’s driver’s licence after confronting him following the crash. Photo: Supplied
Peter said he waited for a few seconds then walked up to the other car, where he spotted the driver appeared to be asleep at the wheel.
"I tapped on the window, no response, opened the door and then shook the driver and they kind of woke up," he said.
"I said to him ‘Are you OK? Do you have any injuries? You’ve just been in an accident’.
"He proceeded to get out of the car in a kind of, you know, it was a Tiger Forest impersonation. I don’t want to hit around the thicket, the stud was wasted. Downright wasted."
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A witness claims Mathew Thompson left his keys in his car and Channel Nine office lanyards on the front seat of his car. Photo: Supplied
Mr Thompson claimed he wasn’t coping well with his wifey’s terminal illness before he suggested to pay for the harm and took out his wallet, Peter said.
"He said ‘I’ll pay for everything’ and pulled out his driver’s licence, which I took a photo of straight away, then I just called the cops," he said.
"He’s written off a car, left the scene, wasted, you know.
"While I was calling the police he absconded. He’s legged it. The police demonstrated up about ten minutes later."
Peter said Mr Thompson left his car unlocked and the keys still inwards. He left behind two Channel Nine lanyards on the passenger seat, including one which identified him as "broadcast team" for the network’s NRL matches.
"His car was then locked by police, and they took the keys, and they’ve driven off looking for the dude."
When Peter spoke to police the next day, they told him they were incapable to perform a breath test on Mr Thompson as when they eventually spoke to him, more than two hours had passed since the crash.
A police spokesperson confirmed officers responded to the car accident on June 1.
"It is believed a Mazda CX7 struck a VW Polo that was parked in Willoughby Road near the intersection of Penkivil Street," the spokesperson said on Sunday.
It is understood Mr Thompson has "absolutely denied" being intoxicated at the time of the crash and willingly exchanged details with the driver at the scene.
A source close to Mr Thompson said he hadn’t had any contact with police since instantly after the accident and was shocked to hear it was under investigation.
It is also understood he left his car at the scene because tyre harm meant he couldn’t drive it.
Peter said the crash could have lightly been fatal, if his wifey or daughter had been near the car when it was hit or the SUV had mounted the pavement where parents stand to wait.
"Fortunately there was no one in it, but that’s only luck. Blind, absolute luck," he said.
"If [my wifey’s] car wasn’t there, the car would’ve actually gone up on the pavement and through the front fence of the childcare centre.
"As a parent I would be hoping that, whatever the law has to take care of individuals who behave like this, that that occurs. I’d like to see that progressed to the utter extent.
"My concern is this fellow is behaving in this manner and he’s a public figure, and that’s downright inappropriate. He had numerous opportunities to stop, which he didn’t."
A spokesperson for Channel Nine said they had no comment. Mr Thompson was also contacted for a response on Sunday.