John William Cleal appeared in Moree Local Court yesterday where a solicitor for the DPP told the court the case had been referred to his office, which could see it committed to the district court for trial or sentence.

The 18-year-old is facing two charges of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and one count of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. 

Magistrate Michael O'Brien ordered investigators to compile a brief of evidence by mid-December and serve it on Cleal's defence team.

The case will return to court in January where Cleal is expected to enter a plea to the charges.

Crash investigators allege Cleal was driving inappropriately and dangerously immediately prior to the collision on September 15, on the Newell Highway north of Moree. 

Cleal was allegedly behind the wheel of the Ford Falcon when it slammed into an oncoming Kia Cerato, about 10km from town. 

The impact of the crash critically injured a one-year-old who was seated in the back of the Cerato. 

He suffered a fractured vertebrae and was airlifted to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, where he underwent emergency surgery. 

A nine-year-old girl who was a passenger in the same car suffered serious abdominal injuries and later underwent emergency surgery, while a 30-year-old woman who was behind the wheel of the northbound Cerato suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Cleal and two passengers, aged 18 and 17, were treated for varying injuries at Moree hospital.

Following investigations by the Oxley Crash Investigation Unit, Cleal was charged.

He remains on conditional bail.