TRAGIC: ‘Worst possible news on the last day of the year’

Hours earlier this police officer was sending a message about new year road safety. Then came a fatal crash that rocked the community.

Acting Inspector Michael McGarry said investigations into last night’s fatal crash were still ongoing.

Bundaberg Acting Inspector Michael McGarry said it was a passing motorist who noticed debris on the road and found the tragic aftermath of a single-vehicle crash last night.

He said the motorist noticed at 9pm a vehicle had hit a tree off Bucca Rd and on further inspection saw the single occupant had sustained what appeared to be fatal injuries.

Acting Inspector McGarry said emergency services were called and the 35-year-old female driver was declared deceased at the scene.

The forensic crash unit attended and was investigating the cause of the crash.

“This is the worst possible news on the last day of the year,” he said.

“Only that afternoon I was giving a message in the media about people driving safely, that we’d had a pretty ordinary year regarding fatalities in the greater Bundaberg area – so this is tragic.

“It’s tragic for her family that have lost a loved one, as I say on the final day of the year, they’ve got the worst possible news.

“It’s tough on emergency services to attend incidents like that, so we are pleading with the community that this is a community responsibility.”

He said police could only do so much education, enforcement and messaging around awareness.

“Remind your family, your friends, your work colleagues to drive safely, drive to the conditions, remember the fatal five and get to your destination safely,” Acting Inspector McGarry said.

“Twenty twenty was a pretty ordinary year for a variety of reasons, this one included, so we ask everyone in the Bundaberg area to make a personal pledge to themselves that they don’t become a statistic, and no one that they know becomes a statistic on our roads.”

Police are continuing investigations into the circumstances of the crash.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24 hours a day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24 hours a day or call 1800 333 000.

Quote this reference number: QP2100000179 within the online suspicious activity form.

Originally published as TRAGIC: ‘Worst possible news on the last day of the year’