Seven people have been injured, and a man has been charged after a car crashed into the courtyard of the Royal Hotel Capertee, north of Lithgow, on Sunday afternoon.
Police say about 5.20 pm on Sunday, 21 December 2025, emergency services were called to the hotel on the Castlereagh Highway near Bandamora Street following reports a vehicle had left the road.
Officers from Chifley Police District arrived to find the car had struck a concrete pole before ploughing into the hotel’s courtyard, hitting several patrons.
A 64-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman suffered serious injuries. They were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being airlifted to the hospital.
A third female patron was treated for minor injuries and taken to the hospital for further treatment, while another four people were treated at the scene but did not require hospitalisation.
The 30-year-old driver was not injured. He was arrested at the scene and taken to Orange Base Hospital for mandatory testing.
A crime scene was established, and specialist officers from the Crash Investigation Unit have begun examining the circumstances leading up to the crash.
After being released fromthe hospital, the man was taken to Lithgow Police Station, where he was charged with negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and two counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
He was refused bail to appear before the Bail Division Court 4 on Monday, 22 December 2025. His driver’s licence has also been suspended.
“Bad part of the road”
It is the second time in two years that a car has crashed into the Royal Hotel Capertee.
Capertee and District Progress Association president Graeme Pike said the section of the Castlereagh Highway that runs past the pub was “notorious” and urged authorities to act.
“Capertee is a small bit of road between the long bit of the Castlereagh Highway. People either don’t see the speed signs or don’t care,” he said.
“This is the second accident for the Capertee pub, where someone has missed the bend and gone straight through. It is a bad part of the road.”
Mr Pike said he wanted to see the road widened and a centre barrier installed to prevent vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic or crashing into buildings.
Witnesses urged to come forward
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage from the area around 5 pm–5.30 pm on Sunday to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online.
The Royal Hotel, a popular stop for travellers on the Castlereagh Highway, is assessing damage to the courtyard as the investigation continues.
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