Police 'aware' of allegation dog lost leg in incident involving alleged Helen Haines attacker
Quick Look
- Brendan Nugent has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury after striking Federal Independent Member for Indi Helen Haines outside her Wangaratta electorate office on October 19, 2026.
- Haines suffered life-threatening injuries, had both legs amputated at The Alfred hospital, and remains in stable condition.
- Victoria Police confirmed Nugent was also involved in a September 2020 incident where his vehicle ran over a dog at Tarrawingee, requiring amputation of the dog's front leg.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Brendan Nugent was arrested and charged after allegedly striking Federal Independent Member for Indi Helen Haines with a Toyota LandCruiser outside her Wangaratta electorate office on October 19, 2026. Haines suffered life-threatening injuries and had both legs amputated at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne. Victoria Police confirmed Nugent was also involved in a September 2020 incident where his vehicle ran over a dog at Tarrawingee, requiring amputation of the dog's front leg. Nugent faces charges including dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, cultivating cannabis, and possessing cannabis. An initial evaluation indicated he held delusions of persecution and was likely in a state of psychosis. He also suffers from idiopathic transverse myelitis.
In short:
Victoria Police are "aware" of an incident where a dog was injured after being run over by a vehicle at Tarrawingee.
Federal Independent Member for Indi Helen Haines was struck by a vehicle out the front of her Wangaratta electorate office last month.
What's next?
The owner of the vehicle, Tarrawingee man Brendan Nugent, was arrested and charged after an alleged attack on Ms Haines.
The man accused of attacking Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines, Brendan Nugent, was allegedly involved in an earlier incident where a dog was run over by his vehicle, Victoria Police has confirmed.
The dog's owner told 774 ABC Melbourne in a text message the day after the alleged attack that they had experienced problems with Mr Nugent over several years.
They said their dog, a female blue heeler, was hit, leaving it with injuries requiring its front leg to be amputated.
They have since told the ABC the dog "is doing well."
In a statement, police said the incident was reported to them last month.
"Police have been made aware of an incident where a dog allegedly sustained injuries after it was run over by a vehicle on a Tarrawingee property in September 2020,"
the statement said.
"The matter was reported to police on Thursday, 22 October 2026."
The dog's owner also alleged they had previously raised concerns about Mr Nugent's behaviour with police, who they said told them they could not intervene.
Ms Haines was retrieving items from the boot of her car outside her Wangaratta electorate office about 3:40pm on October 19 when she was struck by a Toyota LandCruiser being driven by Mr Nugent.
She suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, where surgeons amputated both her legs.
She remains in a stable condition and has woken from an induced coma.
Mr Nugent has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury.
He is also charged with the federal offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, as well as charges of cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis.
It comes as the ABC recently revealed an initial evaluation of Brendan Nugent, taken in the days after he was arrested, said he held delusions of being persecuted and was most likely in a state of psychosis.
During a recent appearance at the Wangaratta Magistrates' Court, it was heard Mr Nugent suffered from idiopathic transverse myelitis, a neurological condition that affects the spinal cord and can cause pain, paralysis, numbness and tingling.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Brendan Nugent will face trial on charges including dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury.
Very likely · Within months
Helen Haines will continue her recovery and rehabilitation following bilateral leg amputation.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What is the current status of the court proceedings against Brendan Nugent?
- What is Helen Haines' long-term prognosis following the amputations?
- What was the outcome of the September 2020 dog incident investigation?
- Will Nugent's mental health evaluation affect his criminal proceedings?
