Wide World of Sports commentator Mat Thompson has escaped with a fine over a serious car accident outside a childcare centre but questions remain about what happened on the day.
Thompson, who calls rugby league for Channel Nine, vehemently denied he had been drinking before the accident or fled the scene, as alleged by a witness.
The 35-year-old was at the wheel of a Mazda SUV when it crashed into a parked Volkswagen Polo just 500 metres from Nine’s offices at Willoughby on Sydney’s lower north shore.
Thompson has been touted as a potential replacement for Ray Warren – the voice of rugby league – when the man known as ‘Rabs’ walks away from the microphone.
Wide World of Sports commentator Mat Thompson (right) was involved in a car accident 500m from the headquarters of his Channel Nine employers at Willoughby on Sydney’s north shore
Broadcaster Mat Thompson has been touted as a possible replacement for Ray Warren, the ‘voice of rugby league’ when Warren decides to retire from calling the game for Channel Nine
Pictured is some of the damage done to a Volkswagen Polo involved in a collision with a Mazda CX-7 driven by Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports commentator Mat Thompson in June
A witness calling himself Peter claimed Thompson had been driving erratically when he lost control of his vehicle one afternoon in June, causing $9,000 damage to the Polo.
A NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia Thompson had now been issued with a traffic infringement notice (TIN) imposing a $439 fine and the loss of three demerit points.
‘In relation to this incident a 35-year-old man has been issued with a TIN for negligent driving,’ the spokeswoman said.
But exactly what happened that day remains unclear.
The witness Peter told Fairfax Media he and his wife had driven in separate cars to a childcare centre to pick up their two daughters about 4.45pm on June 1.
Peter’s wife arrived first and parked outside the centre before going inside to collect the girls.
When Peter arrived about two minutes later and turned into Penkivil Road he claims he was cut off by a grey Mazda CX-7 as it pulled out of a Coles Express petrol station.
Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports rugby league commentator and father-of-two Mat Thompson (left) at a black tie event with Penrith Panthers player Matt Moylan
A witness who wanted to be known only as Peter took a photograph of rugby league commentator Mat Thompson’s driver’s licence after a car accident at Willoughby on June 1
Peter said the Mazda, which he claimed was being driven by Thompson, crashed into his wife’s empty Volkswagen in Willoughby Road before driving off.
As Peter pursued, Thompson allegedly drove further down the street and turned into a dead-end lane where he stopped.
After checking if Thompson was all right, Peter said it appeared the broadcaster had been drinking.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on June 12, a Channel Nine spokeswoman said the network was aware of the incident.
‘Channel Nine has been aware of the alleged incident since [June 5] when “Peter” rang Nine to express concern for Mat,’ the statement read.
Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports rugby league commentator Mat Thompson was involved in a car accident outside a childcare centre on Sydney’s lower north shore on June 1
Car crash witness Peter took a photograph of two Channel Nine lanyards on the front seat of commentator Mat Thompson’s Mazda CX-7 after an accident at Willoughby on June 1
Damage to the grey Mazda CX-7 driven by Wide World of Sports commentator Mat Thompson when he was involved in a car accident near Channel Nine’s headquarters at Willoughby
‘Mat says he did not flee the scene, but freely exchanged details with ‘Peter’. Mat has not heard from police since June 1st.
‘Any allegations like those published by Fairfax … are very serious, but there appears to be more than one side to this story.
‘Channel Nine is treating this matter very seriously, and has offered Mat the appropriate counselling.’
Thompson reportedly offered to pay for the damage caused by the crash and told Peter he had not been coping after discovering his wife had a terminal illness.
The laneway where Wide World of Sports commentator Mat Thompson’s Mazda CX-7 came to rest after hitting a Volkswagen Polo parked at a nearby childcare centre at Willoughby
Wide World of Sports rugby league commentator Mat Thompson’s Mazda CX-7 came to rest in this dead-end lane after hitting a Volkswagen Polo parked outside a nearby childcare centre
The pair exchanged details and Peter then took photographs of the damage to both cars, as well as Thompson’s driver’s licence and two lanyards with National Rugby League and Channel 9 accreditation.
Peter said he then called police, but Thompson had left the scene by the time they arrived about 10 minutes later.
Both Thompson and Nine denied the commentator fled.
Peter said if his wife or daughters been in the car at the time of the crash, the impact of Thompson’s vehicle could have been fatal.
‘Luckily there was no one in it, but that’s only luck. Blind, absolute luck,’ he told Fairfax Media.
‘If [my wife’s] car wasn’t there, the car would’ve actually gone up on the pavement and through the front fence of the childcare centre.’
The Willoughby childcare centre outside which Wide World of Sports rugby league commentator Mat Thompson’s Mazda CX-7 hit a parked Volkswagen Polo on June 1