Kemps Creek crash: Minibus learner driver was disqualified
THE female driver of a minibus carrying nine members of the same family which was involved in a crash that killed a toddler was a 20-year-old disqualified learner.
NSW
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THE female driver of a minibus carrying nine members of the same family which was involved in a crash that killed a toddler was a 20-year-old disqualified learner driver.
Investigators are waiting to speak to the woman, who is currently in Westmead Hospital, where she is being treated for abrasions.
A two-year-old girl died in hospital following the crash and five other children were treated in hospital for various injuries including broken legs.
MORE: LITTLE GIRL KILLED IN CRASH WAS ‘A PRINCESS’
The family of nine had been travelling from their home in Griffith to Sydney Airport, with reports suggesting one or more members were intending to travel to Samoa for an early Christmas holiday.
A family are at Westmead Hospital today to support one another, with one family member saying everyone was struggling to come to terms with the loss.
“Just a beautiful soul, she is just adorable, she’s funny, she’s everything to her dad. Not only her dad, but her grandpa. She’s like the most spoiled one in the family. Obviously she’s the only girl,” the woman told 9News.
Family members are describing the girl who lost her life as a “little princess”.
One grieving family member posted to Facebook: “Rest in heavenly peace my dear princess. Still in shock that your gone but I know your in a better place now baby (sic). Just wish we could turn back time … You will be missed princess.”
One of the girls’ aunts posted: “I’m lost for words, I can’t handle it all in a week RIP my dearest niece Fly high beautiful you will forever be in our hearts.”
Chief Inspector Phillip Brooks of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit said police were investigating numerous possible contributing factors, including whether the young children in the minibus were restrained in child safety seats.
“It certainly is a critical factor where a young child has died,” he said.
“The Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit do continue with this inquiry, however this issue does reflect the need to make sure that our children, our greatest assets, are properly restrained in proper child restraints when they’re inside our cars.”
Mr Brooks said police believed the family travelled from Griffith to Sydney to drop off the child’s father at the airport.
He said the crash had left the family traumatised.
“The family would obviously be significantly traumatised by this very sad and tragic (event) ... it is evident this family have driven some distance. We understand they are from the Griffith area and this crash has occurred in the midafternoon at St Marys.”
Mr Brooks said police were speaking to a number of people who witnessed the crash but urged others to come forward to help them piece together what happened.
“A 20-year-old female driver of one of the vans involved is now identified to be a person with a suspended license.
“She remains at the Westmead Hospital. Metropolitan crash investigators will be speaking to that driver at a later time.”
The minibus collided head-on with a Mercedes Benz commercial van on Mamre Rd at Kemps Creek yesterday afternoon.
The crash sent the minibus flying off the road into an embankment, while the van remained sideways across both lanes with its front badly damaged.
The driver of the commercial van, a 50-year-old man from Merrylands, escaped serious injury and has undergone mandatory testing.
Initially police believed there were two people in the commercial van, but further inquiries revealed it was only the driver.
A swarm of 14 paramedic crews, two helicopters and three ambulance chaplains rushed to the accident scene.
Teenage and adult patients stumbled out of the minibus. Some were loaded into ambulances, others collapsed to the ground in tears. Terrified children clung to ambulance staff as they were loaded into ambulances.
NSW Ambulance Superintendent Paul Edwards said three ambulance chaplains last night debriefed staff and families after the accidents.
He said the crash was a chilling warning to motorists ahead of Christmas.
“The scene was very distressing with three children involved — two of them with serious injuries,” Supt Edwards said.