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Sydney Harbour Bridge fireball crash teen is a former private schoolboy

Sydney Harbour Bridge fireball crash teen is a former private schoolboy 2

The teenager charged over the fiery crash on Sydney Harbour Bridge is a former private Catholic schoolboy. 

Christopher Walker, 19, was pulled from the wreckage of an allegedly carjacked Toyota Kluger moments after it careered head-on into a van and exploded in a dramatic fireball.

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Police released a picture of his distinctive hand tattoo in a bid to identify the Queenslander before he appeared in court from his hospital bed.   

The teenager’s distraught father Chris Walker believes a long-running family feud may have triggered a breakdown in his son before the devastating accident.

‘He’s a beautiful, brilliant boy who will change the world,’ Mr Walker, of Sunnybank Hills, Brisbane, told Daily Mail Australia. ‘He’s a good kid. He’s a very good kid. 

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The teenager charged over the fiery crash on Sydney Harbour Bridge is a former private catholic schoolboy

The teenager charged over the fiery crash on Sydney Harbour Bridge is a former private catholic schoolboy

Christopher Walker, 19, was pulled from the wreckage of a carjacked Toyota Kluger moments after it careered head-on into a van and exploded in a dramatic fireball

Christopher Walker, 19, was pulled from the wreckage of a carjacked Toyota Kluger moments after it careered head-on into a van and exploded in a dramatic fireball

‘If you ever want a right hand man, that’s my young man Christopher. Anything like this is completely out of character for him.’ 

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Police allege the Kluger had been stolen from Sydney’s CBD moments before it was caught on dashcam footage racing across the bridge at high speed and slamming into oncoming traffic.

Monday morning’s rush hour was brought to a standstill as a 27-year-old tradie was cut free from his van, with two other cars also wrecked in the smash and strewn across the highway.

Mr Walker, a car dealer, said his son had only been in Sydney for two weeks before the accident and had yet to explain what had happened.

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But he insisted: ‘He’s really remorseful. He’s just worrying, not for himself, but for the others who were impacted.’ 

Police had to release a picture of his distinctive hand tattoo to try to identify him before he appeared in court from his hospital bedside

Police had to release a picture of his distinctive hand tattoo to try to identify him before he appeared in court from his hospital bedside

A 27-year-old van driver had to be cut free and Monday morning's rush hour was brought to a standstill with two other cars also wrecked in the smash and strewn across the highway

A 27-year-old van driver had to be cut free and Monday morning’s rush hour was brought to a standstill with two other cars also wrecked in the smash and strewn across the highway

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The former Clairvaux MacKillop College pupil had travelled down to Sydney against his family’s wishes with a relative, and had not been in touch since arriving.

But his parents haven’t got a clue what he’s allegedly been up to while he’s been in Sydney. 

‘We had no idea where he was or what he was doing,’ said Mr Walker. ‘I tried to stop him from going but there was nothing I could do.

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‘The first I knew of the accident was when I saw some stuff in the newspaper and thought, “Jeez, that’s not good.”  Then we got a phone call from police.’

Even the picture of the elaborate tattoo art on his son’s hand did not raise the alarm with his parents as the teen had only got the inkwork after arriving in Sydney.

‘That is very new,’ he revealed. ‘We didn’t know about it.’ 

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Mr Walker has since spoken to his son in hospital but failed to get many answers. 

‘He has no memory of it,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. ‘I don’t know what happened to him. Chris has never been one to use drugs. Never.

‘He actually got into fights at school against drugs. He got into a punch up in the toilet block at Clairvaux MacKillop because some kid was smoking marijuana in there.

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‘He hated it, absolutely hated it. But if he has [taken drugs], or something’s gone wrong with him that’s a reflection on others. 

‘Maybe it was drugs, maybe he just had a mental breakdown because of the family feud … and because of me because I was so distraught about it all.’

The long-running row between the relatives is believed to date back 12 years to a family battle over the will of a third brother.

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Mr Walker said the emotional pressures created by the family tensions may have been a factor in the accident, but he also blamed police.

‘The police have one job – keep my son safe, that’s their job and they didn’t do it,’ he blasted. 

‘The police force do their best but how the hell does this stuff happen without some sort of corruption in society to allow people to get away with importing drugs?’

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Police allege the Kluger had been stolen from Sydney's CBD moments before it was caught on dashcam footage racing across the bridge at high speed and slamming into oncoming traffic

Police allege the Kluger had been stolen from Sydney’s CBD moments before it was caught on dashcam footage racing across the bridge at high speed and slamming into oncoming traffic

The devastated family is now waiting for further updates from their son after being unable to get any information from authorities.

‘He’s in a very bad way in hospital and that’s all I know,’ said his father. 

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‘I can’t get much out of him but I know he’s not going to be a paraplegic or a quadraplegic and I know that he’s not burnt.’ 

Walker was treated for suspected head injuries and remains under police guard at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Devastated father Chris Walker (pictured) is now waiting for further updates from his son after being unable to get any information from authorities

Devastated father Chris Walker (pictured) is now waiting for further updates from his son after being unable to get any information from authorities

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He was charged on Wednesday with assault with intent to take/drive a motor vehicle, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and negligent driving.

He appeared at Central Local Court in a bedside hearing later that afternoon.

The teenager did not apply for bail, which was formally refused, and will next appear in Central Local Court on March 23. 

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His father added: ‘He’s got no-one there with him – no girlfriend or partner and we’ve not heard anything from the relative he went down there with. 

‘He must be lonely and scared right now. I would be – even at my age, I would be as well.’ 

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