Alleged driver accused of fleeing scene of fatal Monaro crash charged with manslaughter

The case against 23-year-old Marcus William Hargrave was heard in the Cooma Courthouse on Wednesday. Photo: Albert McKnight.

The alleged driver accused of fleeing the scene of a fatal crash on the Monaro Highway late last year has had his charges upgraded to manslaughter.

Marcus William Hargrave, a 23-year-old from the Snowy River Shire, was arrested after the crash on 18 November 2023.

Around 11:45 pm that evening, emergency services arrived at the scene on Vulcan Street in Cooma and found a Ford Falcon had crashed into a tree, NSW Police said.

While the 25-year-old male passenger was treated by paramedics, he died at the scene.

“The driver reportedly fled and was unable to be located,” police allege.

Mr Hargrave arrived at the Canberra Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries a short time later and was arrested.

In the following days, he was extradited from the ACT to NSW and handed charges that included dangerous driving occasioning death and failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact caused death.

He was refused bail.

When Mr Hargrave faced the Cooma Local Court on Wednesday (7 February), he was handed a new charge of manslaughter.

Magistrate Roger Clisdell adjourned the matter for a brief mention in the Queanbeyan Local Court on 2 April and did not change his bail refused status.