A Far South Coast woman has not applied for bail after fronting court for the first time charged over the alleged road rage hit and run death of Trevor Fleet in Bega on August 31.
41-year-old Melinda Cleaver, who has been charged under her maiden name, Melinda Jane Avison, was arrested by Strikeforce Delore detectives yesterday at a home in Wyndham.
73-year-old Trevor Fleet from Eden passed away in The Canberra Hospital 24 hours after the incident in broad daylight on Newtown Road.
Police previously said they were told the pair had pulled over on the side of the road and had some sort of verbal disagreement before Mrs Cleaver is alleged to have returned to her vehicle, reversed back into Mr Fleet knocking him over then fled the scene.
South Coast Police District Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Justin Marks said the women’s arrest followed an extensive investigation detectives under Strike Force Delore.
“At approximately 8:20am yesterday, detectives executed two search warrants at a residential address, one in Wyndham, and a business premises in South Pambula,” Detective Inspector Marks said.
“Police seized a silver Holden SUV, believed to be associated with the investigation, along with a number of other items that will undergo further forensic examination,” he said.
The arrest came ten days after police issued a public plea for help to identify the wanted woman and vehicle.
“As police officers, we can’t do our job without members of the public and people have reached out and we appreciate the community’s assistance in relation to providing answers to the family of Mr. Fleet, who’s passed away,” he said.
“We thank the community. We can’t do our jobs without the good people in the community assisting us with our investigation and for that, we’re thankful.”
Looking disheveled dressed in long pants and a white top with darks lines, this morning Cleaver limped into Audio Visual link room at Batemans Bay Police Station to appear in the Bail Review Court.
Her lawyer Rosemary Benet had just told the court her client was not feeling well when she had spoken to her but asked if she could still be brought up on screen in the court.
The court heard she has a broken toe and was not applying bail.
Judge Te’res Sia formally refused bail.
Then the Judge asked Cleaver if she understood what she had just said the accused replied ” No I don’t understand that.”
Justice Sia repeated what her decision was.
Ms Benet request an order be made for health and medical services to be provided for her client in jail.
“I’m on anti depressants and anti psychotics for anxiety, which they won’t give me. I won’t last without them,” Cleaver told the court.
Judge Sia issued the order and remanded her in custody until she appears in Bega Local Court on December 15.
