Verified Evidence: resolved · Fact Lock: locked · QA: pass
Helen Haines has lost both legs after being struck by a car in an alleged deliberate attack, according to multiple reports, with the suspected driver later appearing in court.

The Guardian identifies Haines as the independent federal MP for Indi. It reported that she was hit by a car near her electorate office in Wangaratta, in north-east Victoria, and remained in stable condition after the incident.

Doctors amputated both of Haines’s legs because of the seriousness of her injuries, The Guardian reported. Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera also reported that the Australian lawmaker had lost both legs.

Deutsche Welle reported that the suspected driver appeared in court. The source did not report a court outcome, and the supplied accounts do not establish a legal finding about whether the collision was deliberate.

EL PAÍS reported that the motive for the alleged attack was unknown. It also said the suspected driver’s lawyer claimed the man had mental-health problems; that characterization was attributed to the lawyer and was not presented as an independently established medical finding.

The Guardian reported that Haines’s husband said her heart and mind were in good shape. The accounts describe severe, life-changing injuries, but do not establish a motive or provide further details about the court proceedings.

SOURCES

  1. The GuardianHelen Haines has lost both legs after alleged attack but ‘her heart and mind are in good shape’, husband says
  2. Deutsche WelleAustralian MP Helen Haines loses both legs after car attack as suspect appears in court
  3. EL PAÍSLa diputada australiana Helen Haines pierde las dos piernas por el atropello supuestamente deliberado del lunes
  4. Al JazeeraWhat happened to Australian politician Helen Haines?