Donations have poured in for Muhammad Usman, a 25-year-old Uber driver and recent civil engineering graduate, who was left with life-altering injuries after a horrific crash in Dalkeith.
The collision, which tragically claimed the life of his passenger, Elizabeth Pearce, has sparked an outpouring of public support, with more than $114,000 raised so far to assist with his recovery.
The crash occurred on February 15 when a blue Jaguar, allegedly driven at high speed by Perth obstetrician Rhys Bellinge, slammed into Usman’s Honda Jazz.
Pearce, a 24-year-old University of WA graduate and Woodside intern, had just entered the vehicle when the impact proved fatal. Usman was critically injured, suffering two broken legs and a fractured arm. He was placed in a coma and remains in hospital, facing multiple surgeries and a long rehabilitation process.
Bellinge, 45, has been charged with manslaughter and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. Police allege he was intoxicated, driving nearly four times over the legal limit, and speeding up to 130km/h in a 50km/h zone.
It is reported that the dashcam footage allegedly captured him making “unflattering remarks” about his wife before losing control and crossing onto the wrong side of the road. Shortly after the crash, he reportedly attempted to blame Usman, claiming the Uber driver “came out of nowhere.”
Bellinge is a well-known obstetrician and was denied bail last week, with the magistrate ruling he posed too great a risk to the community. It is reported that he was hospitalised with broken vertebrae, but was given the all clear from medical staff and transported to prison.
The court heard that in the days leading up to the crash, Bellinge had been recorded driving dangerously and ranting about his personal life while behind the wheel. At the time of the accident, he was allegedly distressed over his recent separation and told police his vision had been blurry due to crying.
Magistrate Cullen said:
“The willingness to engage in such reckless conduct under the influence of alcohol is a concern. … It’s not just [about] his wife. It’s an aggression to the world at large. That’s the risk.”
For Usman, the crash has turned his life upside down. Originally from Pakistan, he has no family in Australia and had been working as a disability support worker and rideshare driver while seeking opportunities in engineering. He had a job interview scheduled for the Monday after the accident—an opportunity that vanished in an instant.
Now, his immediate focus is survival and recovery. Through a GoFundMe campaign launched from his hospital bed, Usman has appealed for help to cover medical expenses, daily living costs, and the cost of bringing his parents to Australia to support him. “In this time of immense hardship, I am reaching out for your support,” he wrote.
“Every single donation, no matter how small, will make a difference in my journey to heal and rebuild my life.”
The response has been overwhelming, making Usman’s fundraiser one of the fastest-growing campaigns in WA history. The generosity of strangers has provided a glimmer of hope as he faces an uncertain future.
Pearce’s family, meanwhile, is mourning an unbearable loss. “Our beautiful, bright girl brought sunshine to our lives, and we are now in darkness,” they said in a statement. She will be farewelled at a funeral mass in Subiaco on March 6.
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