A 49-year-old Alice Springs man has been charged with manslaughter for his alleged role in a fatal road incident that saw a male pedestrian killed by a vehicle in Darwin in February 2024, but the man charged was not driving the vehicle, NT Police said.

Police said the man charged was also a pedestrian at the time of the fatal crash that occurred inbound on Tiger Brennan Drive at Berrimah.

“Following a complex investigation and acting on recommendations from the Northern Territory Coroner and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the offender, who was also a pedestrian at the time of the incident, has been charged with one count of manslaughter,” Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Richard Musgrave said on Friday.

Police did not say what the man is alleged to have done in relation to the incident, but previously reported there had been a “disturbance” before the man was hit by the car.

It was reported at the time of the crash that the 50-year-old male driver of the vehicle had stopped at the scene and later tested positive for drugs, while “assisting police with enquiries”.

Back on February 28, 2024, police said in a media release that a 46-year-old man was also arrested at the scene of the crash and was “expected to be charged in relation to the incident later today”.

It is unclear what happened and why it appears he was not charged at the time.

The now 49-year-old was remanded in custody on Friday and is due to appear at the Alice Springs Local Court today.

It appears police had a difficult time locating the suspect, but they did not explain why he was not charged more than two years ago. They had sought dashcam footage “of the people involved” at the time of the incident but did not say if they ever received it.

“This has been a lengthy and complex investigation, involving multiple police units working across the Northern Territory to locate and arrest the offender,” Snr Sgt Musgrave said.

“Our investigators remained steadfast in their commitment to this matter, and today’s arrest reflects the extensive work undertaken throughout the course of the investigation.”