Troubled former AFL star Ben Cousins has been hurt in a car crash just hours after he failed to appear in a Perth court on drug charges.
The 38-year-old is reportedly under police guard in Royal Perth Hospital with minor injuries.
Police and ambulance say a man received minor injuries in a crash with a truck at High Wycomb around 1.20am on Wednesday, but would not confirm Cousins was involved.
The former captain of the West Coast Eagles was due to appear in Armadale Magistrates Court on Tuesday, charged with possessing methamphetamine and two counts of breaching a violence restraining order over an incident in October.
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Cousins in hospital under police guard
But he didn't show up, so Magistrate Geoff Lawrence issued the order at the end of the court day.
Mr Lawrence noted Cousins had contacted his lawyer, Michael Tudori, in the morning to say he was unwell but did not provide a medical certificate.
Last month, Cousins was granted bail on the charges, but was warned he would be locked up if he breached the conditions.
Magistrate Sandra De Maio also relaxed the violence restraining order conditions, saying Cousins could communicate with the mother of his children, aged three and five, via text message but only about parenting issues.
The Brownlow medallist, who has a history of drug abuse, was suspended from the AFL for one year in 2007 for bringing the game into disrepute.
He made a comeback with Richmond before retiring in 2010.
Since then, his troubles have continued under the glare of the public, most recently in June when he was reportedly treated in hospital after standing in the middle of Canning Highway in Como directing traffic.
AFL operations manager Mark Evans described the latest incident as distressing.
"I know there are a lot of very good people who have been trying to help and I couldn't knock them one iota in terms of the number of times or the amount of support they've offered," he told SEN radio.
"Ultimately, Ben has to be in a place where he is going to accept that support and that won't be an easy thing given his current circumstances."
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