Man, 63, who allegedly struck Sam Kerr’s grandmother with his ute charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm

The driver who allegedly struck the grandmother of football superstar Sam Kerr with his ute has been charged with one count of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The man, 63, will appear before the Fremantle Magistrates Court in Western Australia on February 4.

It comes after Coral Kerr, 89, stepped off a bus in the southwest Perth suburb of Palmyra about 11am on Friday local time when the driver allegedly mounted the kerb in an attempt to overtake the bus before hitting her.

At the time, Sam Kerr and her father Roger were at picturesque winery Krinklewood Estate in the NSW Hunter Valley attending the wedding of her long-term Matildas teammate Emily Van Egmond to partner Kat Thompson.

Its understood Sam and her father Roger learned of the tragedy while at the reception with Roger hurriedly organising a flight back to Perth to be at his mother’s hospital bed. 

Pictures from the Palmyra scene show the ute with extensive damage to its bonnet after the vehicle hit a power pole before it hit Ms Kerr.

At the time Kerr was at the wedding of Matildas teammate Emily van Egmond with her father Roger when she learned of the crash back in Perth

The ute allegedly drove on the footpath in an attempt to overtake the bus where it hit a power pole before it hit Ms Kerr – a man, 63, has since been charged with one count of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm

A sombre looking Sam Kerr at Sydney airport on Saturday following the news about her grandmother

Kerr is pictured being comforted by fiancée Kristie Mewis before flying to Western Australia 

Coral’s neighbours and bus passengers who witnessed the crash rushed to her side to help her as she lay on the grassy area next to the footpath.

‘She really wasn’t responding too much, she was very sweaty and clammy… I think she was in shock obviously,’ neighbour Mary Ivey told 9News.

Witnesses alleged a series of cars lined up behind the bus and the ute driver tried to overtake it by driving on the footpath.

Chelsea striker Kerr, 31, and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, 33, who hails from the US, had both been spending time with Kerr’s family over the Christmas break.

The pair announced in November they were expecting a baby and had flown back to Australia for the festive season.

The Chelsea star is currently recovering from an ACL injury that could see her out of action until March 2025.

Before she learned of the crash on Friday, a beaming Kerr posed for snaps alongside Mewis with Ireland and Arsenal star Katie McCabe, as well as her partner Caitlin Foord. 

Matildas stars Clare Polkinghorne, Mackenzie Arnold and Steph Catley were also in attendance, while Lydia Williams who has just retired from international football following the Paris Games also posed for snaps, wearing a glamorous red and white dress.  

Emily Van Egmond’s national team-mates were in attendance with Kerr (second from left) who posed for snaps alongside her partner Kristie Mewis (left). Arsenal star Katie McCabe (second from right) and Caitlin Foord (right) joined the couple for a picture

Clare Polkinghorne, Foord, Mackenzie Arnold, Steph Catley, Lydia Williams and Hayley Raso (L-R) also dazzled as they posed for snaps at the venue 

Kerr’s long time Matildas teammate Emily Van Egmond (left) was all smiles after marrying partner Kat Thompson

Krinklewood Estate is located about two-and-a-half hours outside Sydney and is set on 150 acres of land nestled near the Brokenback mountain range.

Van Egmond popped the question to Thompson in June last year, posting the happy announcement to Instagram with a series of photos near the beach in San Diego, California.

Born in Newcastle not too far of a journey from her chosen wedding venue, Van Egmond, began playing football from a young age, and is the daughter of former Socceroo and Newcastle Jets coach Gary Van Egmond. 

The San Diego Wave star has enjoyed a glittering career, having made her first professional appearance for the Jets back in 2008. 

The midfielder would go on to be capped 153 times by the Matildas and star for the side in three Olympic Games.

The Australian side is currently without a permanent coach with the hunt for likely to extend beyond February’s international window.

Football Australia (FA) recently said they are determined to take their time to appoint the right long-term candidate.

Former long-serving mentor Tony Gustavsson departed in August following the Olympics, with interim coach Tom Sermanni has leading the Matildas in six friendlies since his appointment in September.

That interim reign could continue into and passed February’s SheBelieves Cup as FA contemplates candidates for the next four-year cycle.

The coach will need to lead Australia at the home 2026 Asian Cup and qualify and compete in the 2027 Women’s World Cup and 2028 Olympics.