Friends Snapchat Shania McNeill before fatal crash and take selfies in hospital with injuries
Police are investigating reports a young female driver killed in a crash at Berkshire Park was ‘playing chicken’ with other drivers by weaving in and out of oncoming traffic before Snapchat footage of Shania McNeill’s final moments emerged. Her friends posed for a selfie in hospital a day after her broken body was pulled from the Sydney wreckage.
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Police are investigating reports a young female driver killed in a crash at Berkshire Park at the weekend was ‘playing chicken’ with other drivers by weaving in and out of oncoming traffic.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said police were speaking to witnesses of the April 28 Richmond Rd crash, which killed 21-year-old Shania McNeill and injured four others.
Assistant Commissioner Corboy said police had not ruled out drugs or alcohol and said social media distraction was a major part of investigations into the crash.
He said police were hoping to speak to two female passengers in the car at the time of the crash as the recover from non-life threatening injuries in hospital.
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He said it was not known how long after the Snapchat video was taken that the crash occurred.
“It does disturb us that things like this get put online,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy told media at a press conference in Huntingwood.
“I’m sure in hindsight [the passengers] will regret doing that.”
“The most disturbing thing with the video is her family and parents will have to look at that video now.
“The fact it’s gone online, the fact they have to live with that, is disturbing.”
Overnight the friends of Ms McNeill posed for a selfie in hospital a day after her broken body was pulled from the wreckage.
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The selfie followed a haunting Snapchat clip broadcast from inside the car in which Ms McNeill, 21, died moments after veering into oncoming traffic.
The video was shot just before Ms McNeill crashed into a car travelling in the opposite direction, at Berkshire Park on Sunday morning killing her, injuring her friends and leaving two men in the other vehicle in a serious condition.
Police are investigating the Snapchat video in which a woman can be heard squealing before someone shouts, “Shania!”. Shania then looks at the camera, open mouthed and her eyes wide.
She smiles briefly and makes a hand gesture before directing the person to point the camera back at the road in front of her. The footage then cuts out.
The clip, posted to Snapchat by passenger Faeda Hunter, has been shared with up to 50 people and was posted around the same time Ms McNeill’s pink Suzuki Baleno and a Nissan Micra collided on Richmond Rd at 1.15am.
Ms McNeill was helped from the vehicle by members of the public. A passing police officer performed CPR but she died before paramedics arrived.
Her friends, Ms Hunter and Hazel Wildman, were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The two men, a driver, 61, and a passenger, 39, were also taken to hospital. One man was flown to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
On Tuesday morning, Ms Hunter and Ms Wildman were back on Snapchat posting a selfie together posing on their hospital beds in neck braces.
A driver who was travelling on Richmond Rd early Sunday morning said he had been swerved at twice by a car moments before the crash.
Mr Fuller, who asked for his first name not to be published, said he saw two cars driving towards him on the opposite side of the road with the second vehicle flashing its high beams at him.
“The first car closest to me moved over onto my side of the road. It was a violent swerve towards me … quite intentional. I moved out of the way and it seemed to take a second swipe at me.”
Mr Fuller said he pulled over where another motorist had also stopped. The other motorist confirmed the same car had also driven them off the road.
“While we were talking we heard a bang.” He said the bang was the cars colliding about one kilometre away.
Ms McNeill’s flatmate Rachel Macefield said she had seen the video but did not believe it told the true story.
“This is my friend that I care deeply about and I know for a fact she would not have just let this happen. She’s a good driver,” she said. Joel Bentley, Ms McNeill’s former boyfriend, said she was: “one of the most kind-hearted beautiful souls to ever live”.
He said Ms McNeill, who used to work on a chicken farm, loved animals.
“Your love for chickens was unlike a love for anything I’ve ever seen with anyone,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Corboy said the crash served as a warning to other young drivers about the potentially deadly mix of driving and social media distractions.
“It sends a clear message to people in that demographic that if you continue to do this or if your passengers or yourself get involved in this, it really could end up in a fatality.
Police are continuing to seek witnesses to the crash and urged anyone who may have dashcam footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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