Woman charged over crash that killed Alan and Hannah Atherton

A father and daughter were riding a Harley Davidson to celebrate his 60th birthday when their lives were cut short. Investigators have now laid charges against the driver of the other car involved in the Easter Monday crash.

An East Mackay woman has been charged after a fatal crash on the Bruce Highway on Easter Monday that killed a father and daughter.

Alan and Hannah Atherton had been riding on a Harley Davidson motorbike when it collided with a silver sedan hatch near the highway intersection with McNeil Road at Koumala, just after Cherry Tree Creek about 10.25am.

They had been in a larger group on a birthday ride to celebrate Alan’s 60th.

Alan, 60, died at the scene on April 18 and his daughter Hannah, 19, was flown to the Townsville Hospital were she died from her injuries on April 27.

Hannah Atherton, 19, was the pillion passenger on her 60-year-old father Alan Atherton’s Harley Davidson as part of a birthday ride when tragedy struck about 10.25am on Monday April 18. Picture: Facebook

Investigators charged a 64-year-old woman on Friday with two counts of careless driving causing death.

She is due to appear in the Sarina Magistrates Court on Monday August 8.

Clayton's Towing removed a car and motorcycle from the scene of a two-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Koumala on Easter Monday. The crash killed Alan and Hannah Atherton and left five others injured. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Acting Inspector Anthony Cowan said initial investigations at the scene suggested a car had stopped on the side of the road near McNeil Rd at Koumala and did a U-turn in front of the motorbike.

“I believe there was a group of motorcycles and (the car) has given way for most of the motorcycles and they’ve conducted a U-turn and not seen the last one, is what it appears,” he said.

Both the silver sedan and the motorbike had been travelling south.

Her 40-year-old male passenger, 34-year-old female passenger and two children aged seven and five in the other vehicle were not seriously injured.

They were taken to hospital as a precaution.

Alan Atherton, 60, died in a Bruce Highway crash near Koumala about 10.25am on Monday, April 18, 2022. Picture: Facebook

Inspector Cowan said the force of the crash rolled the sedan in the marked 100km/h Bruce Highway zone he described as a dangerous stretch because of fatigue.

“The area of Koumala and Carmila – that whole area – there’s not much in that area,” he said.

Clayton's Towing removed a motorcycle from the scene of a two-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Koumala on Easter Monday. Picture: Janessa Ekert

“Fatigue plays a big part in highway accidents especially in the area south of Mackay.

“There’s a big fatigue zone there especially coming 10 hours north of Brisbane and there’s not much around.

“People don’t realise they’re tired until it is too late.”

The first six months of 2022 have left a trail of carnage across the region’s roads, with 17 fatalities to date.