DPP dropping charges over 2014 fatal freeway crash angers victim’s daughter Caitlin Byrne

The daughter of the woman killed in the 2014 South Eastern Freeway crash is disappointed, angry, and disgusted that no one will ever be held responsible for the incident.

Jacqui Byrne died in the 2014 South Eastern Freeway crash. Picture: Supplied by the family.

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The daughter of the woman killed in the 2014 South Eastern Freeway crash is disappointed, angry, and disgusted that the driver will never be held responsible for the incident.

Caitlin Byrne says she will forever blame truck driver Darren Hicks for her mother’s death — regardless of the decision, by prosecutors, to drop all charges against him.

She said her family continued to struggle with their loss while Mr Hicks pursued Paralympic cycling gold, and questioned whether he was remorseful for the crash.

“I want him to know that I blame him for taking my mother away from me,” she said.

“He was behind the wheel of the truck that killed my mother … I have no one to blame but him, and it makes me sick that he is no longer charged with anything.”

Darren Michael Hicks outside the District Court. Picture: Taait Schmaal.

Mr Hicks, 32, was behind the wheel of a Cleanaway sewage truck, travelling at 151km/h, that slammed into cars at the bottom of the freeway on August 18, 2014.

Ms Byrne’s mother Jacqui, 41, and Tom Spiess, 56, died while others were seriously hurt — including Mr Hicks, whose right leg was almost severed, requiring amputation.

Both he and Cleanaway were charged but, in August 2017, the case against the company was dropped.

Expert evidence revealed Cleanaway did not know the truck’s brakes were faulty because the business to which it outsourced maintenance had not made it aware.

2014 crash victim Tom Spiess. Picture: Supplied by family.

2014 crash victim Jacqui Byrne. Picture: Facebook.

In December last year, prosecutors dropped all charges against Mr Hicks, who was supported by Mr Spiess’s wife, Jan, throughout his time in the courts.

He is expected to give evidence in several lawsuits, while Cleanaway is still being pursued by federal authorities for allegedly failing to adequately train him for emergency situations.

Speaking to The Advertiser, Ms Byrne said she was “disappointed and angry” the case had been dropped.

“I am angry that two lives have been taken because of Mr Hicks’s actions in the truck that day, and I’m mostly angry that I’ll never get to see my beautiful mother again,” she said. “Yes, I understand that he didn’t set out for this to happen, but the fact is that he still killed two people — whether he meant for it to happen or not, it still happened.

Mr Spiess’ wife Jan, right, supported Mr Hicks during his court case. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

“Yes, he got hurt as well and lost his leg — but others lost more than that.”

She said she, her two brothers, her grandparents and the rest of her family had “been robbed” by the incident.

“Someone needs to take responsibility for the two beautiful lives that were taken, and for those who loved them whose lives will never be the same without them,” she said.

“A lot of lives were completely ruined that day and someone needs to be responsible for it.”

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