Man killed in crash with stolen Land Rover named as Darren Hill

Darren Hill was on his way home from work early Tuesday morning when a stolen 4WD driving on the wrong side of Wyong Rd slammed head-on into his Kia Rio, killing the devoted father and grandfather instantly.

The man killed in a crash with a stolen 4WD has been identified as Darren Hill.

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Darren Hill was on his way home from work early Tuesday morning when a stolen 4WD driving on the wrong side of Wyong Rd slammed head-on into his Kia Rio, killing the devoted father and grandfather instantly.

The shirtless driver of the stolen Land Rover Discovery and his passenger fled the scene of the crash near the intersection of Beckingham Rd at Berkeley Vale about 4.40am.

Mr Hill’s mother-in-law Diane Connell told 7 News their family was devastated by the senseless tragedy.

A man has been killed after a crash between a stolen Land rover and another car on Wyong Road at Berkeley Vale. Picture Richard Noone.

“To be honest I don’t know how they’ll survive without him,” she said.

“He was just their rock and that’s been taken.”

Ms Connell said the horrific incident was a “horrendous act by a coward who ran off”.

Mr Hill’s wife of 27 years Letitia Connell arrived at their Woongarrah home on Tuesday morning expecting to see his car in the driveway, instead she found police who informed her of his death.

A crash investigator surveys the road tryng to work out how the crash happened. Picture Richard Noone.

Investigators from the Crash Investigation Unit spent several hours conducting their inquiries with eastbound lanes on Wyong Rd closed between Pindarri Ave and Tumbi Creek Rd for much of the morning.

Northern Region Traffic Tactician Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Chief Inspector Amanda Calder appealed for public information.

Darren Hill with his wife of 27 years Letitia Connell. Picture: Facebook

“We need the community to work with police to solve this matter and we urge these young men to come forward,” she told a press conference in Newcastle.

As crash investigators try to piece together how the crash occurred, Brisbane Water police

are investigating the theft of a white Land Rover Discovery station wagon stolen the night before during a break and enter at Sundale Ave, Terrigal.

Darren Hill. Picture: Facebook

Police are yet to confirm if it was the same stolen vehicle involved in the crash.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

A little under 12 hours later a motorcyclist, 30, was flown to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition after colliding with a Holden Commodore at Tuggerah Parade at Long Jetty shortly before 4pm on Tuesday.