Former Packed to the Rafters actor Justin Rosniak is in a serious condition but lucky to be alive after the van he was driving flipped onto its roof in Sydney’s west on Friday night, police say.
Rosniak, a film and television actor best known for his recent roles as Stuart ”Warney” Warne on Packed to the Rafters and Squizzy Taylor on Underbelly: Razor, is understood to be in a serious condition in Westmead Hospital.
Penrith police Inspector Garry Sims said officers were called to the single-vehicle smash on Mulgoa Road, Mulgoa, about 10.30pm (0.30am Saturday, NZ time).
”The white Mitsubishi van was travelling north on Mulgoa Road when control was lost, causing it to cross onto the southbound lanes and it flipped over onto the roof.”
The 36-year-old suffered serious injuries to his arms and shoulder and was taken to hospital, Inspector Sims said.
”The driver’s in a satisfactory condition and police are continuing their enquiries.”
Inspector Sims said he was the sole occupant of the vehicle and no-one else was injured in the incident.
A Westmead Hospital spokeswoman said she could not comment on Rosniak’s condition.
Photographs of the incident on the Penrith police Facebook page show the white van lying on its roof and crumpled in on the driver’s side.
The first motorists who stopped to help had to search for Rosniak after he was thrown from the vehicle, one witness commented on the social media site.
”He was at least 10 metres away in the bushes. Unbelievable that he was alive.”
Inspector Sims said Rosniak would have undergone mandatory blood and urine testing and the cause of the crash was not yet known.
”There was some physical evidence to indicate that the nearside wheels went onto the dirt on the side of the road and the driver’s over-corrected but it’s still too early to tell.”
”Looking at the photos – how anyone could survive that is beyond me.”
Rosniak featured in 21 episodes of Channel Seven’s Packed to the Rafters between 2008 and 2012.
He has also appeared in the acclaimed film Animal Kingdom opposite Jacki Weaver, and television shows including McLeod’s Daughters, Police Rescue, All Saints, Rush and Home and Away.
A spokeswoman for Channel Seven was unavailable for comment on Saturday night.
-Fairfax Media Australia
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