‘He’s left a big hole in Port Augusta’: Selfless and kind truckie, family man killed in fiery crash

Known for his selflessness, honesty and kindness, the Port Augusta man has been remembered by friends after he died in a horrific truck crash heading into the Easter weekend.

Dene Knapp was killed in the truck crash on April 17.

“I can’t believe it,” Ian Butler said, remembering his friend and workmate Dene Knapp who was tragically killed in a truck crash on Thursday.

Mr Butler runs Butler’s Mechanical Services with his wife Tracy in Port Augusta and became quite close with Mr Knapp over the years.

The Butlers would take their scrap metal to Mr Knapp who owned Augusta Scrap Metals, but often a purely professional conversation would descend into hours of nattering.

Mr Knapp, 77, was carting skips on the back of his truck early on Thursday morning when he and another truck collided at Inkerman between Wild Horse Plain and Port Wakefield on the Port Wakefield Hwy.

Both trucks burst into flames and Mr Knapp sadly died at the scene.

Dene Knapp was the owner of Augusta Scrap Metals in Port Augusta.

Dene Knapp pictured with his grandson.

“I spoke to him the day before,” Mr Butler said.

“He said to me ‘I’ve got to go to Adelaide in the morning but I’ll come by on my way back’, I told him if he couldn’t come it didn’t matter.

“I didn’t realise it was Dene and then it came on the news, I saw his bins on the back of the truck and I thought, my God, I felt sick.”

Mr Butler said the grandfather was honest, kind and selfless, always wanting to do the right thing.

“He was just that sort of guy, I mean he was 77 and a lot of people are retired by then, not Dene, he was a hard worker, always trying to please people,” he said.

“Nothing was ever too hard for Dene.

“It’s bloody sad, he’s going to leave a big hole in Port Augusta.

“But that’s what happens to good people like Dene, the good ones get dealt a bad card.”

Tracy Butler was driving past the crash on Thursday but said she didn’t know it was Mr Knapp until she got a call from her husband.

“I drove past and saw it, I was only 25 kilometres out of Port Wakefield when I got the call,” she said.

“I was gobsmacked, you become good friends with people in a small town like Port Augusta.

“This town has lost a really great man, and I think we may unfortunately lose a great business too.”

Dene Knapp with his wife Judy.

Lindsay Puddy who runs the Augusta Car Wash said most people in town would know Mr Knapp, especially since he was such a “nice guy”.

“I’m just devastated for him, his family, and his business, it’s tragic,” he said.

Mr Butler said this tragic crash should put into perspective just how dangerous driving can be.

“Something’s got to be done, it’s just not safe, especially in the (trucking) industry at the minute,” he said.

“I worry about everyone driving, especially my grandkids on the road.

“I always text them, drive for everybody else, not for yourself.”

A 57-year-old Marleston man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving over the crash.

Originally published as ‘He’s left a big hole in Port Augusta’: Selfless and kind truckie, family man killed in fiery crash