The charging of a 25-year-old Queensland man over the death of an alleged hit-and-run victim has allowed his family to move forward with their grieving, police say.
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Detective Acting Inspector Rob Campbell said the accused, from Rocky Point in Weipa, was served a Notice to Appear on several traffic-related offences, including one count each of driving without due care, fail to remain at an incident, and drink or drug driving.
Michael Bowden, 20, was found on Northern Avenue in the small far north Queensland town in the early hours of June 9 with serious head and shoulder injuries.
Allegedly struck by a vehicle that did not stop, Mr Bowden died at the scene despite neighbours and paramedics working to save him.
Inspector Campbell said police studied CCTV footage to track down the man they alleged had been driving the four-wheel-drive that struck Mr Bowden.
The man did not turn himself in, contrary to advice given to Fairfax Media by a police service spokeswoman.
"Without the CCTV we wouldn’t have been able to get to a point where we were able to identify a vehicle, and from that to move to the next stage, which was combining that with all the other information we had and being able to talk to this person," he said.
Police would allege that the man knew he had struck Mr Bowden, Inspector Campbell said, and did not come forward as he was "afraid of the outcome".
A passenger in the vehicle has not been charged but was co-operating with police, although potential charges for the passenger or upgrades to the charges faced by the 25-year-old man were not ruled out.
Inspector Campbell said police alleged the man was driving under the influence of a drug and outside his licence restrictions when the car hit Mr Bowden, who was walking home from a party after spending the day at a fishing festival.
The man was not charged with dangerous driving, with Inspector Campbell said.
"Under these circumstances it’s been considered there was insufficient [evidence] based on what we know about the incident, and what we’ve been able to adduce from witnesses," Inspector Campbell said.
Instead the man was charged with other driving offences.
Inspector Campbell said Mr Bowden's family had been notified of the charges and were thankful for the resolution.
"They can now move on to another phase of their grieving process through a funeral and other activities with the families."
The man was expected to appear at the Weipa Magistrates Court on July 17.
