Adelaide Crows star avoids jail for running red light and hitting pedestrian

• By Eva Blandis

• Topic:Courts

Posted Fri 30 Oct 2026 at 5:32pmFri 30 Oct 2026 at 5:32pm

In short:

Adelaide Crows footballer Josh Worrell has pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of driving without due care after he hit a pedestrian with his car in July.

Prosecutors have asked for a conviction to be recorded, but no term of imprisonment.

What's next?

Sentencing will take place on Tuesday.

Adelaide Crows defender Josh Worrell has been assured he will not be sent to jail after pleading guilty to hitting a pedestrian with his car.

The 25-year-old appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today and pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of driving without due care over the crash on July 10, 2026.

He was also facing a charge of failing to stop, assist and present to police but it was dropped by the prosecution.

The court heard that Worrell had been driving along Port Road, on his way to training, when he ran a red light and collided with the victim.

"The footage does show his vehicle entering that pedestrian crossing at a somewhat considerable speed, although we don't allege he was exceeding the speed limit against a red traffic signal that had been displayed for several seconds," prosecutor Phoebe Foster-Richardson said.

"We submit … that Mr Worrell was either inattentive or distracted."

Ms Foster-Richardson said she accepted Worrell was remorseful and did not assert that a period of imprisonment was necessary.

Instead, she said the prosecution was asking a conviction to be recorded and Worrell be sentenced to a short, good behaviour bond or be ordered to undertake community service.

Magistrate Rodney Oates agreed that a term of imprisonment was inappropriate and said it was not his "intention" to impose one.

Defence Barrister Andrew Culshaw, for Worrell, said his client was "embarrassed and remorseful" and made a "human mistake".

"He certainly should've done better," Mr Culshaw told the court.

"He is incredibly embarrassed and remorseful … to say nothing of relieved because he is acutely aware that this could have been worse."

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Mr Culshaw also said his client prioritised getting his victim help and spent three hours with him.

"Rather than simply call for help and move on with his commitments he, I submit, really went above and beyond to assist the victim," he told the court.

"He took him to hospital, he stopped past the victim's house to get some tissues … for the cut to his head."

Worrell will return to court on Tuesday to be sentenced.