Rising Sydney Roosters playmaker Sandon Smith has avoided a conviction over his role in a car accident that resulted in a pedestrian having two toes amputated.

The 22-year-old halfback faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local for sentencing on Friday after pleading guilty to a serious driving offence relating to the March 31 incident that was described by his lawyer as an unfortunate chain of events.

The court was told Smith was involved in the accident that started when he inched out of his driveway at Vaucluse in Sydney’s east and ended with a parked car being pushed onto the foot of a man who suffered serious injuries.

Last month, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm.

His solicitor David Newham tendered character references from Roosters chairman Nick Politis and coach Trent Robinson and told the court that Smith was acting like many would have done, describing the incident as a “very sad chain of events”.

The court was also told that Smith had completed a traffic offenders program and twice apologised to the victim – once when he saw him on the street before using his connections at the Roosters to reach out to the victim’s wife.

Magistrate Scott Nash described Smith’s culpability as low and said while the victim’s injuries were serious, he declined against recording a conviction.

According to a set of police facts tendered to the court, Smith was attempting to inch his way out of a driveway on Old South Head Rd at Vaucluse on the morning of March 13.

At the time, his view to the right was obstructed by parked cars and he “continually edged” his vehicle to “gain a clear view of the oncoming traffic”.

At the same time, a Toyota Kluger was driving along Old South Head Rd when the female driver suddenly noticed Smith’s vehicle “appear in front of two parked vehicles and merge into her lane”, according to the court documents seen by NewsWire.

The female driver attempted to brake; however, she collided with the front of Smith’s car.

At the same time, a 38-year-old man was on the outside of his parked car and attempting to get his son out of the rear door.

The man’s vehicle was bumped forward, according to the police facts, pushing the wheel onto his right foot and leaving it wedged between the tyre and the kerb.

Smith did not have a conviction recorded after he was sentenced for a traffic accident on Friday. Picture: Supplied.Source: SuppliedThe court was told that upon hearing the man screaming, Smith rushed to his aid and was one of several people who freed him by lifting the car off his foot.

As a result of his injuries, the man underwent several rounds of surgery and his little toe had to be amputated, according to the police facts.

The court was also told he subsequently had a second toe amputated.

He also suffered further fractures in his fibular and right foot.

According to court documents, the man continues to see a psychiatrist, physiotherapist and pain specialist for his injuries and may need further surgeries.

On Friday, Smith was handed a two-year conditional release order.

Smith made his Roosters debut in 2023 and was a feature of their NRL side this year, including their finals run.

He is expected to start in the halves next year following Luke Keary’s move to the Super League and Sam Walker’s ACL injury.

More to come