Will Turner: Highway crash victim remembered as horse riding star and much-loved student

The young man killed in a grim head-on collision on the Cunningham Highway has been hailed as a “rising star” in the Queensland campdraft community.

Will Turner has been remembered as a skilled and promising horseman the day after he died in a three-vehicle crash northwest of Warwick.

The initial police report stated Will was travelling west in a 4WD utility on the Cunningham Highway when he veered into the path of two oncoming vehicles near Gladfield Back Road about 2.40pm on Sunday.

The Texas teen suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.

His death has lead to an outpouring of support.

“I am sending my love and heartfelt condolences to Will’s family,” Liz Alldridge said.

“I’m so sorry for the devastating loss of your beautiful son.”

“I can’t believe this happened to Will, I hope everyone’s doing okay,” Macgregor Long said.

The grim development comes just a few days after Will graduated from Scots PGC College.

Scots principal Kyle Thompson said Will was a gifted student.

Will Turner, 17, died after he veered into oncoming traffic on the Cunningham Highway about 2.40pm on Sunday (Image: Nettie Eggleston Photography)

“Will was a much-loved member of our college community,” he said.

“He was an avid campdrafter and was looking forward to embarking on the next step of his journey after school as an apprentice boilermaker.”

The school has reached out to current students along with Will’s former class mates.

“Support services are in place for students, including our graduated Year 12s, staff or any college community members,” Mr Thompson said.

“We understand that this event will have a deep impact on Will’s cohort, who are in our thoughts even though they are not on campus with us.

“We are all profoundly shocked by this heartbreaking accident.

“Our immediate thoughts are with his family during this extremely difficult time.”

Will was well known within the campdraft community and competed at events across Queensland.

Five people suffered minor injuries in a three-vehicle crash in the Cunningham Highway on Sunday.

The crash also left five people with minor injuries, including a three-year-old child.

Southern Downs Acting Inspector Jamie Deacon said police would continue to investigate the crash to determine a cause.

“He has drifted into oncoming traffic and a focus of the Forensic Crash Unit Investigation will be to ascertain if distracted driving was a causal factor,” he said.

This investigation will involve evidence and statements from other road users who were on the highway at the time.

Anyone with dashcam footage of a white 4WD utility on the Cunningham Highway around 2-3pm on Sunday is urged to come forward.