Pauli Pauli: Newcastle Knights footballer sustains dislocated hip in M1 crash

Australian rugby player Pauli Pauli is one of the injured in Wednesday’s seven-car pileup that occurred on the M1 motorway. He suffers from a dislocated hip.

The crash occurred between three cars – a Toyota MR2, a Subaru Liberty and a Mazda Tribute – travelling northbound on the M1 near the Hawkesbury River Bridge at about 10PM on Wednesday. Four more cars crashed into the collision, causing a seven-car pileup.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Newcastle Knights said Pauli was among those injured in the accident. He is currently receiving treatment at the Gosford Hospital. “Pauli is currently in Gosford Hospital and the club’s immediate concern is for his welfare,” the statement read. “As soon as the club medical staff have further information, the club will provide an update.”

It was also revealed that Pauli, who is believed to have been driving the Subaru, has sustained a dislocated hip. The injury has thrown his chances of starting the 2017 season in doubt.

Pauli’s passengers included a 27-year-old woman who sustained a broken leg; an 18-year-old man who suffered spinal injuries and a 15-year-old boy who suffered a broken collarbone. Among the injured was a 58-year-old woman from another car who sustained a chest injury; a 13-year-old girl who was bruised; a 50-year-old man who sustained chest pain and a 47-year-old who sustained injuries to chest and neck. A baby of 10 months, who was also injured, was transported to Westmead Children’s Hospital.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Peter Martin was one of the witnesses of the horrifying accident. Driving past the site of the collision, he described it as “really nasty.”

“It’s a mess, it’s a real mess, there’s a car into a wall, there are cars facing the wrong way ... there was debris everywhere,” he said. “There were cars everywhere … it went for 30 metres.”

One of the injured is in critical condition, according to NSW Police. As a result of the crash, northbound lanes of the M1 were shuttered for three hours. The cause of the crash has not been made clear.

The incident will be investigated by the Crash Investigation Unit. Six Fire and Rescue NSW trucks had arrived on the scene following the pileup.