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Stephanie Gardiner

Man accused of DV crash murder 'extremely dangerous'

A magistrate has refused bail for a man accused of murdering his ex-wife in a high-speed crash. (Murray McCloskey/AAP PHOTOS)

A man accused of murdering his ex-wife by running her car off the road in a high-speed crash made threats of driving himself into a tree in the months before, a NSW court has been told.

Troy Armstrong, 35, was on Tuesday refused bail while he continues treatment for serious brain and spinal injuries, caused by last month's crash, in the intensive care unit at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney 

Armstrong is charged with the murder of his former wife, 36-year-old Kristy Armstrong, after allegedly driving his ute towards her sedan at 140km/h in Molong, central west NSW, after an argument on June 9.

Ms Armstrong was killed in the crash.

He also faces two counts of attempted murder related to other passengers in the sedan, who were left with minor injuries.

Armstrong's lawyer, Drew Hamilton, said there was cause for bail, arguing the extent of his injuries lowered his level of risk in the community and it was his first time in custody.

"This matter involves a tragic set of circumstances, I can't imagine the impact this has had on the families and the community at large," Mr Hamilton told Orange Local Court.

"(This) is about risk."

Armstrong is under 24-hour police guard in hospital and his family could only see him for an hour each day, the court was told.

Mr Hamilton said Armstrong had part of his skull removed after the crash, was not able to walk and cannot take himself to the toilet, placing him at greater risk if he were to move to a custodial environment.

The possibility of interfering with witnesses or doing further harm could be reduced by a home detention-style bail arrangement, Mr Hamilton argued.

But police prosecutor Carl Smith adamantly argued against bail, saying the surviving passengers were terrified of Armstrong.

Mr Smith said Armstrong had made numerous violent threats before the crash, including that he planned to drive himself into a tree. 

"(They) were terrified before this incident, they're even more terrified now," Mr Smith said.

"He knew driving 140km/h into a car of the likelihood that he'd be killing his wife, but (also) anyone else in that motor vehicle.

"He's an extremely dangerous person."

Magistrate David Day refused bail, in part due to Armstrong's history of making violent threats.

"In my view, there's an unacceptable risk of committing further serious offences," Mr Day said.

Some of Ms Armstrong's relatives, who were sitting in court, let out sighs of relief after the magistrate's decision.

One woman quietly said, "thank you".

The case was adjourned to September 7.

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