Onlookers slammed for disrespectful behaviour as woman fights for her life

A nurse who was trapped in her car, hanging upside down with a broken neck for 50 minutes, said she was disgusted by laughing onlookers who she said treated her nightmare like a ‘side show’.

A Clontarf woman who was hanging upside down in her car with a broken neck for 50 minutes has slammed onlookers who laughed, made comments and took photos as her shocked children checked to see if their mother was still alive.

On the afternoon of October 16, Debbie Jones was driving her Toyota Corolla down Cornelius St at Clontarf, on her way to pick up her daughter from a friend’s house.

As Ms Jones passed a roundabout at 20-30km/h, a driver allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign at an intersection, T-boning Ms Jones’ car, forcing it roll three times before landing on the road on the driver’s side.

Ms Jones was upside down in the car for almost an hour as firefighters cut the car in half to free her, before she was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she remained for more than a week.

While upside down in the car, Ms Jones spotted a crowd of strangers gathering by the car, laughing, taking photos and making assumptions about how the crash had occurred.

Ms Jones compared their behaviour to what would be expected at a stunt show.

“When you’re trying to survive, you don’t want to see randoms in your mirror,” Ms Jones said.

“You want to see the people that you love and you don’t want to be a sideshow.

Debbie Jones during her eight night stay at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Picture: Contributed

“Then when my family was there, there was an older couple who lived on the corner where the accident happened, they were bringing out cold drinks and offering comfort.

“A lot of the other people at the scene were speculating, saying ‘she must’ve been speeding or something happened’.

“My daughter and niece actually asked the police if they could remove someone because they were creating havoc.

“I could see them in the mirror, laughing taking photos, just like you would with your friends gathering at Movie World and they’re doing a stunt show.”

Ms Jones’ Toyota Corolla rolled three times before landing on the drivers side on Cornelius Street, Clontarf. Picture: Contributed

The first man on scene pulled the windscreen back apart so Ms Jones could see him for support, another woman called Ms Jones’ husband after she yelled out his phone number and an elderly couple brought out cold drinks and comfort for Ms Jones’ family.

“I had arterial bleeds on my head, there was a lot of blood in the car,” Ms Jones said.

“My daughter’s handbag was in the car so she was getting her handbag out and (her) shoes covered in blood.

“People were coming over to have a look.

“She said in not very nice language, basically telling them this is not a peep show, this is my mother’s blood here.

“You’re fighting for your life, you’re hanging upside down, you know you’ve broken neck, you’ve gotta remain calm because if you don’t people can’t look after you.

“Looking at people googling you in the mirror isn’t what’s required.”

Ms Jones was on her way to pick up her daughter when the crash happened on October 16. Picture: Contributed

Now two weeks out of hospital, Ms Jones said she suffered two fracture dislocations in her neck which were operated on the day after the crash.

She suffered a couple of spine fractures, required staples on her head to close the arterial bleeding and is still in a good amount of pain.

“I’ve come out pretty lucky, even though I had the head lacerations I didn’t have any brain injury,” Ms Jones said.

“It could’ve been far worse.

“The fireys were awesome.

“There was the advanced care paramedic who crawled into the back of my Toyota Corolla and as I sit there on my side, he laid with me as they got the roof off and came with me to the hospital.

“No words, thank you doesn’t even cut it.”

Ms Jones wants people to be more respectful and sensitive when they come across car crashes and crime scenes and focus on caring for the victim and their loved ones, not taking photos and invading the privacy of loved ones.

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said a 26-year-old Clontarf man was charged with failing to stop at a stop sign at a level crossing and will appear in the Redcliffe Magistrate Court on November 24.