Cousin of grandfather killed by tipper truck while gardening in front yard has called street a ‘death road’

UPDATE: A DISTRAUGHT relative of two men mowed down by a tipper truck while gardening in a Western Sydney front yard has described theirroad “extremely dangerous” and pleaded for action.

A DISTRAUGHT relative of two men mowed down by a tipper truck while

they were gardening in a Western Sydney front yard has described the

road where it happened as “dangerous” and a “death street”.

Grandfather Tannous Daher was helping his brother-in-law Milad

Moujalli, known as Bakhos, fix up his Merrylands front garden when the

Hino truck drove straight into them on Saturday afternoon, while they were shovelling soil into a wheelbarrow.

The truck lost control after clipping a Hyundai Elantra travelling

in the opposite direction.

It crossed an intersection before ploughing through tree front yards and hitting the house in the third property, knocking out a window frame and damaging brickwork on impact.

The body of Mr Daher, 82, was found on the driveway of the third property by his horrified relatives. He was pronounced dead at the

scene.

The truck ploughed through front yards, killing an 82-year-old man gardening in his front yard. Picture: Danny Aarons

A second man, gardening with his brother-in-law, was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Mr Moujalli, 75, was critically injured and taken to Westmead Hospital.

His son, Oz, today said his condition had improved and he would be “all

right” physically.

“He’s going to be absolutely crushed because he idolises his sister

and he was using her husband to help him move some dirt and he has

passed away now,” he said.

Mr Moujalli had only moved into the new home recently.

A cousin to both men, Yvonne Se’maan, said Burnett St, where the

accident occurred, was extremely dangerous and she was almost hit by a

car with her grandson just two months ago.

“We live in a very dangerous street. I call it death street,” she said.

“I’ve been living here nearly 20 years and the cars they come in so

fast they think they are still on the freeway. It’s a very, very bad

street. You expect everything on this street.

“A few months ago I nearly got killed with my grandson. A semi-trailer,

it was speeding. I hope something will be done.”

She said Cumberland Council should consider installing some roundabouts.

The council said it was unable to provide a response about the road

until Monday.

A mangled car on the front yard where the truck crashed through. Picture: Danny Aarons

Residents have described Burnett St, Merrylands a “death street”.

Ms Se’maan also paid tribute to Mr Daher, who was planning to go on a

treasured holiday to Lebanon in just a couple of weeks.

“He was a very nice man. His wife is my first cousin. He was such a

good person. Definitely he is a very good father and grandfather,” she

said.

“He was going overseas next week or the week after. He goes every year

to Lebanon.

“I’m going to see my other cousin in hospital. I heard the news last

night that he is doing OK. There is no damage in his head because he

was bleeding from his mouth before.”

Police at the scene of the accident in Merrylands. Picture: Danny Aarons

Police are calling for witnesses to the crash to come forward.

Mr Moujalli’s nephew Fred Sghaby said his father, who lived two doors

down, watched the two men get hit by the truck.

He said his father was going to help them with the gardening but they

said not to worry — they would only need him when they were going to

install a fence.

“So dad has come back in and then he’s seen the truck clip the car out

the front,” he said.

“He ran out into the driveway but then had to get out of the way.

“He saw everything that happened and he had to run back inside the

house to call me.”

Police investigations into the fatal crash are continuing. Picture: Danny Aarons

Mr Sghaby said that he went outside and it was “just chaos”.

“We sat with my uncle to see what had happened. He was bleeding. We

went across and we found the other gentleman Tannous, he said.

“He was in one of the other driveways down the road. The truck had

actually crashed through like three doors down. It was very

confronting.”

7 News at 6pm: A huge emergency response after a truck slams into a Merrylands home. #Merrylands #7News pic.twitter.com/1FPvxpqNwm

— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) July 22, 2017

The truck driver, a 28-year-old Carlingford man, was taken to Westmead

Hospital under police guard where he underwent mandatory blood and

urine testing.

He has now been released.

His passenger, an 18-year-old Merrylands man, attended hospital later

in the evening where he was treated for back pain.

The 48-year-old driver of the Hyundai, which the truck clipped, was not injured.

The Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit is investigating and calling

on anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.