Tragic days: two dead
Fatal crash: a Morwell woman died on October 26.
By Matt Dunn
A TRAGIC 48 hours has left two drivers dead after accidents in Hallston and Leongatha North.
A 21-year-old man from Leongatha was killed in the early hours of Sunday morning when a four-wheel-drive tipped over and crushed him on a Hallston property.
Emergency crews were called out again yesterday afternoon when a car driven by a Morwell woman crashed into a semi-trailer on the Strzelecki Highway. The woman was killed in the collision.
Sunday’s accident involved three men, who were four-wheel-driving up a steep embankment on a private property at around 1.40am.
The site, which is known as the “gravel pit,” is at the corner of Yarragon-Leongatha Road and Pitt Road in Hallston.
It is a popular place four-wheel-driving and dirt bike riding, regularly drawing complaints from residents for the noise created.
Leongatha Police’s Leading Senior Constable Andy Boldiston attended the scene.
“The car got stuck about three-quarters of the way up and the young fella who was in the passenger seat has got out and tried to back the vehicle down.
As a result the vehicle’s rolled over and he’s unfortunately been killed,” Leading Snr Const. Boldiston said.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to do the right thing by not being on the road. You’ve still got to be careful.
“If you want to go four-wheel-driving, take someone who has experience. In the end it’s private property, and we can’t really do much.”
He said he was a “little bit frustrated” that the accident had occurred, especially as another fatality happened in Hallston in May.
Leading Snr Const Boldiston said a “lack of experience” may have played a part in the tragedy.
The man was “partially ejected” through the open front window of the 1985 Toyota Land Cruiser before it came down upon him.
“He was crushed as a result of the rollover. Ambulance attended but he died at the scene. It’s unfortunate, there’s no doubt about it,” Leading Snr Const Boldiston said.
The accident occurred on a friend’s property.
The vehicle was registered and apparently roadworthy. The police’s major collision mechanics will examine the vehicle to ensure there were no hidden faults.
“The young fella’s only 21-years-old and so didn’t have a lot of experience in driving. It was dark, so he may not have been able to see exactly where he was going, so perhaps that’s why the vehicle slipped,” he said.
Police, CFA and SES worked until about 5.30am at the site.
Yesterday’s collision on the Strzelecki Highway in Leongatha North at 1.50pm saw the Volkswagen vehicle clip a grain truck, resulting in the car crashing into the embankment.
The accident happened at Crightons Hill, about four kilometres from Leongatha, which has claimed several lives in the past.
The truck driver was uninjured. A little dog was rescued from the woman’s car.
Shaken and his fur covered in glass, the little animal was taken away by a veterinarian.
The woman apparently veered across the double lines while driving towards Leongatha.
The oncoming tanker tried to avoid her but apparently made contact and the woman crashed her car into the embankment.
The highway was blocked. CFA and SES units from Leongatha attended as well a CFA crew from Ruby.
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Posted by Chris Brown on Oct 27 2009. Filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
