Australian lawmaker Helen Haines loses leg after being hit twice by car: Report

Independent member for Indi Helen Haines was allegedly hit by car driven by 43-year old man

Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines has lost a leg after a man allegedly rammed her with his car and reversed to hit her a second time outside her electorate office, local media reported on Tuesday as cited by Reuters and AFP. The 65-year-old remained in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery overnight at a hospital in Melbourne.Haines was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser at around 3.35pm on Monday while retrieving items from the boot of her car outside her office in Wangaratta, a regional town in the state of Victoria, more than 200km northeast of Melbourne.Australian Home affairs minister Tony Burke said witnesses reported that the driver made a U-turn, rammed Haines against her vehicle and then reversed to strike her again. A bystander intervened and restrained the driver before police arrived.The alleged attacker, a 43-year-old man, was arrested at the scene and charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing harm to a public official, according to reports. Police have said they would allege the attack was targeted.Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and counter-terrorism authorities are investigating the incident. The motive remains unclear, and authorities have said there are no known further threats connected to the attack.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as a deliberate act and called for a more respectful political climate amid growing concerns about threats against elected representatives. “It’s clear that there was a deliberate act here. This wasn’t an accident, someone just skidding off the road,” Albanese told ABC News.