The man accused of Samantha Murphy’s murder has been charged over a crash that occurred months before the Ballarat mother’s alleged killing.
Patrick Orren Stephenson has been charged with careless driving, drink driving and drug driving offences after a crash on 1 October last year, which was the Sunday after the AFL grand final.
Victoria police confirmed on Friday the 22-year-old man had been charged on summons after a single vehicle collision involving a motorcycle in Ballarat.
Stephenson was in March arrested and charged over the disappearance of Murphy, who left home to go for a run on 4 February and has not been seen since.
He is accused of killing the mother-of-three at Mount Clear in Ballarat on the day that she went missing.
No trace of the 51-year-old woman has ever been found, despite weeks of widespread searches from police and members of the public.
Murphy has been described as a physically and mentally strong woman who was devoted to her three children.
Stephenson will face Ballarat magistrates court on August 8 over the fresh charges and the murder charge.