Monday 28 November 2022 08:29 PM Outback Wrangler TV star Matt Wright on his way to Darwin to face charges over ... trends now
Reality television personality Matt Wright will be charged with a string of offences within hours over a helicopter crash that tragically killed one of his best mates earlier this year.
Shock new allegations about the The Outback Wrangler and Wild Croc Territory star following an extensive police investigation into the crash that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson, 34, in February.
Wright, 43, was spotted with his wife Kaia and their newborn daughter Dusty Faith going through the security gates at Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning.
He's believed to be boarding a Qantas flight to Darwin after detectives issued an arrest warrant on Monday and gave him a 48 hour deadline to present himself to a Northern Territory police station.
He will be charged with at least six offences including perverting the course of justice, destruction of evidence, fabricating evidence, interfering with witnesses, unlawful entry and making a false statement.
Wright has since strenuously denied any wrongdoing over what he described as a tragic accident.
Wilson was collecting crocodile eggs in a remote area of west Arnhem Land when the helicopter he was attached to crashed on February 28.
The married father of two young sons had been connected to the Robinson R44 helicopter by a 30metre line and harness before the chopper collided with a tree and crashed in the King River on the last day of the Top End's wet season.
Pilot Sebastian Robinson was seriously injured in the crash and is still recovering from spinal injuries.
Police will allege Wright tampered with evidence at the crash site as fresh new claims emerged of events before and after the fatal crash.
It's understood minutes before the crash that claimed his life, Wilson took a photo of the fuel gauge showing the chopper’s almost full tank which he then shared in a WhatsApp group chat.
Wilson’s mobile phone then allegedly went missing from the crash site, The Australian reported.
The photo conflicts Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s preliminary report, which revealed that investigators only drained about 250ml of blue fuel from the main tank’s bladder after the crash despite the two fuel bladder tanks still being intact.
It's understood unlawful entry charges relate to Wright entering Mr Robinson’s home and his helicopter hangar without permission.
They will also allege Wright visited Mr Robinson in hospital twice after the crash to tried to get him to falsify records relating to the helicopter involved in the crash and to delete
