South Australia's police chief will have to wait to hear charges against his son's alleged killer formally confirmed in court after the case was hit by delay.
Dhirren Randhawa faced Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, accused of killing 18-year-old Charlie Stevens in a hit-and-run incident during Schoolies week in November.
Appearing in person for the Crown, SA Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton KC was granted a six-week adjournment by Magistrate John Wells for a charge determination hearing.
Mr Hinton said the delay was necessary so a pathologist's report and an accident reconstructionist's report could be completed and handed to the prosecution before it can proceed.
Dressed in chinos and a white linen shirt on a hot Adelaide morning, Randhawa was flanked by supporters in court, including his mother Amreeta Stara - a hypnotherapist and "transformational coach".
The Encounter Bay teen is alleged to have recklessly hit Mr Stephens with his car after a late-night roadside interaction in Goolwa on November 17.
He is accused of fleeing the scene and subsequently failing to answer police questions, before eventually turning himself in.
Mr Stephens died in hospital surrounded by friends and family, including his father - Police Commissioner Grant Stephens - the following night.
His was the 101st death on South Australian roads in 2023 - a tragic statistic his parents were at pains to draw attention to in a heart-wrenching open letter entitled "About 101".
A well-known and popular figure as a result of his stewardship of the state during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Stephens' grief struck a chord with the South Australian public.
A crowd of more than 1000 mourners paid their respects to the apprentice tradie at an emotional memorial service at the Adelaide Oval later that month.
Randhawa, 19, is yet to plead to any of his four charges, including causing death by dangerous driving.
He remains on bail with conditions including that he live at his mother's home, surrender his passport and not enter the driver's seat of a vehicle.
He is due back in court in April.
