Teen faces court over Monaro double-fatal crash

A deadly crash that claimed the lives of two teenage girls has been described by responding officers as ‘horrific’, as a 16-year-old boy fronts the ACT Children’s court after being charged.

A 15-year-old girl allegedly sent a text message to a friend explaining why she was in a car with an unaccompanied learner driver in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Less than an hour later, she and another girl, 14, were dead.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged over the incident, with two counts of culpable driving causing death, driving unaccompanied as a learner driver, failing to stop to render assistance, breaching bail and breaching a good behaviour order.

Two teenage girls dead following crash in Canberra. Picture: OnScene ACT

ACT Police are investigating if the crash, which occurred on the Monaro Hwy at Hume, is linked to a dangerous social media craze where people post joy-riding clips to TikTok — as senior officers describe the scene of the incident as “horrific”.

The crash comes less than a week after a 12-year-old boy died when a stolen car hit a power pole at high speed near Wollongong.

A distraught friend of the older girl told The Daily Telegraph she received a text message at 3.55am, which woke her up.

“I messaged her back straight away and she never answered me,” the friend said.

ACT Police roads boss, Detective Acting Inspector Travis Mills, revealed a member of the public notified emergency services to the tragic crash.

“The collision scene was horrific and it was graphic,” Acting Insp, Travis Mills said.

Detective Acting Inspector Travis Mills fronts the media following a horror crash on the Monaro Highway which claimed the life of two teenage girls. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

Det Mills confirmed the two crash victims were wearing seatbelts, while revealing further details about the circumstances surrounding the deadly incident.

“I can confirm the motor vehicle was not stolen,” he said. “As to the owner of the motor vehicle, that person is assisting police with the investigations at this time.

“All the occupants of the vehicle ... were juveniles — I believe they were known to each other.

“As for further information about the surviving passenger, that young man is assisting police with the investigation.”

Two teenage girls dead following crash in Canberra. Picture: OnScene ACT

Det Mills said a 16-year-old boy had appeared before the ACT Children's Court and did not apply for bail.

“I think our teens, our young people, are the future, and quite honestly they need to start thinking and behaving in such a way that will see them arrive home safely,” he said.

“Our kids are smart, we just need them to make sure they are actually thinking about what their actions can result in.”

Meanwhile, Detective Acting Inspector, Brian Tadic, said the car had “sustained extensive damage to the point where it is unrecognisable”.

A teenage boy will face ACT Children's Court following a horror single vehicle crash on the Monaro Highway, Hume, which claimed the lives of two teenage girls. Picture: Google Maps

A statement from ACT Policing said officers and emergency services were called to the scene at 8:10am.

Police will allege in court a Toyota Sedan appeared to have left the road while travelling northbound, crashed through temporary fencing and collided with a tree.

The police statement said it is unclear when the crash occurred, and said police believe a passer by notified emergency services.

The two girls are the 13th and 14th people to die on ACT’s roads in 2022.