Friends pay tribute to teen killed in crash on notorious Wamberal road

FRIENDS have paid tribute to a 17-year-old boy killed in a crash on a notorious stretch of road in Wamberal on the Central Coast.

Jackson Williams (right), 17, who was killed in a car accident in Wamberal on Sunday.

JACKSON Williams was the type of kid who always had a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye.

He was popular among his peers, known as a high achiever among his teachers and always good for a laugh, regardless of who he was with.

But the 17-year-old is now just another name on this year’s chillingly long list of road crash victims after a horror accident on a notorious stretch of road at Wamberal on Sunday night.

School friends Holly Montgomery, Montanah Bell, Jade Emmett and Poppi Elsley lay flowers and cards at the accident scene on Willoughby Road where Jackson Williams, 17, was killed in a car crash. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Jackson was a rear seat passenger in a Subaru Forester driven by a 17-year-old mate when the vehicle lost control crossing a culvert on Willoughby Rd and slamming into a power pole.

Paramedics tried to save him but he died a short time later.

The cards left at the scene for Jackson Williams. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Another passenger — a 16-year-old boy — was flown to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition with head and chest injuries, while the P-plate driver and a third and fourth passenger escaped with less serious injuries­.

Jackson’s death — the second on Central Coast roads in 12 hours — was the fifth in three days across NSW and brought the State’s road toll to 221 so far this year.

School friend Poppy Elsley fastens flowers to the power pole where Jackson Williams, 17, was killed in a car crash at Wamberal on Sunday. Picture: Peter Lorimer

That is 44 higher than last year and the worst road toll since 2010.

Residents who live close to the scene of Sunday night’s tragedy said it could have been averted had authorities listened to their pleas to install speed bumps and other safety measures.

Several people who spoke to the Express Advocate said the culvert had long been known as “The Dipper” due to motorists going down the dip well above the 50km/h speed limit in an attempt to get airborne on the other side.

The wreckage after a car left the road and collided with a power pole on Willoughby Rd, Wamberal on Sunday, killing passenger Jackson Williams. Picture: Digicrew Australia

“We don’t usually take ­notice any more when we hear something happen out there because it happens so frequently,” Shaunagh Lougher, who lives beside the crash site, said.

Joanne King, who also lives nearby, said a car had lost control recently and wiped out a chain-link fence just metres from ­Sunday night’s accident.

She went outside to investigate on Sunday night after hearing a loud bang about 9.30pm.

Two of the car’s occupants, including a teenage girl, were walking around in shock, while the rear passengers were trapped inside.

“There are a lot of near-misses here but there are a lot of accidents as well,” Ms King said.

Lisarow High School Year 11 classmates remembered Jackson on Monday as a young man full of life and laughter.

“He was a sporty guy and really intelligent but he was also really funny and known for his magic tricks,” one friend said.

Other friends took to Facebook to pay tribute to their mate. “Still can’t ­believe it, rest easy brother. I’ll never forget the memories we shared,” Jackson Preston wrote.

Another friend said Jackson always found a way to make people laugh.

“You never stepped down if u wanted to do something, you never did wrong by anyone, you were the most easygoing person, you were loved by everybody,” he said.