Luke Nardini: WA speedway racer from Narrogin accused of killing couple in car crash breaks his silence

A West Australian race car driver accused of killing an elderly couple in a head-on crash in the US has broken his silence to say: “It was an accident, and I regret the whole thing.” Luke Nardini was speaking outside the San Mateo County Superior Courthouse on Wednesday, where he had arrived earlier flanked by his mother Cheryl and lawyer John Noonan for a pre-trial hearing. Mr Nardini, a speedway racer from a well-known Narrogin family, is charged with two counts of misdemeanour manslaughter for a fatal head-on collision in the mountain community of La Honda, south of San Francisco, on September 1. He is accused of driving a white BMW on the wrong side of the road near La Honda on September 1 and crashing into a Ford Taurus carrying four people. The back-seat passengers in the Ford, Jack and Linda Davis, a local couple in their 80s, died from their injuries. Mr Nardini said he appreciated the outpouring of support from his hometown community as his case works through the US legal system. “It’s the only thing keeping me going, really. It’s really hard being over here knowing no one except my mum,” the 31-year-old said. Mr Nardini was released from jail on September 11 on the condition he surrender his passport and remain in San Mateo County. On Wednesday, he stood before Judge Donald Ayoob wearing a light blue shirt and jeans as his lawyer requested a modification to his bail requirements. Judge Ayoob agreed with the request and extended the area where Mr Nardini could travel to a local church and doctor’s office in nearby Santa Clara County. But Mr Nardini was also dealt a significant blow to his hopes of returning home to Australia when the judge delayed the start of the trial by a month until December 6. “It’s not the greatest news it being delayed another couple of months,” a clearly frustrated Mr Nardini said. “Just going to have to cop it on the chin and deal with it.” Mr Nardini’s father, Leo Nardini, previously said the situation was “just horrible”. “You don’t know how much you love your child until something horrible happens,” he said. “I’m sorry for the people that were left behind. We know that things will happen to Luke; there is no way there is not ... we just want him near home.” Luke Nardini and his brother Jamie are renowned on the WA speedway scene, racing in the Formula 500 class for more than a decade.