Terrigal tragedy: Loving husband pays tribute to ‘soulmate’ Annabelle Deall
SIMON Deall paid tribute to his wife Annabelle, 32, the mother of their four young boys, who was killed in Terrigal on Saturday night.
Central Coast
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A HUSBAND has paid an emotional tribute to his “soulmate” after the mother of their four boys — all aged under six — was tragically killed at Terrigal on Saturday night.
Physiotherapist Annabelle Deall, 32, was hit as she and two friends were crossing the road to dine at popular restaurant The Cowrie on Scenic Highway.
Her friend, Meagan Darling, who is 20 weeks pregnant, was also struck by the car and suffered pelvic injuries. Her baby was not injured.
A 22-year-old driver has been charged over the incident.
The tragedy continues a horror year on roads on the Central Coast with 14 deaths since January.
The latest death followed two years of pleas for safety measures to be put in place on the dangerous stretch of road on Scenic Highway where Mrs Deall was killed.
Her heartbroken husband, Simon, an orthodontist, said life would never be the same without his “perfect wife”.
“The world has lost the most beautiful soul I have ever met. My best friend and soulmate, Annabelle Claire Deall,” Dr Deall, 32, said on Facebook. “I am so blessed to have had 15 years of love and adventure and four adorable boys with her.”
The boys are six, four, and two-year-old twins.
“Annabelle was the most devoted and perfect mother and wife imaginable and being without her is incomprehensible,” Dr Deall said.
Mrs Deall’s colleagues at Intuition Private Obstetrics and Gynaecology were in shock on Monday. She had only recently gone back to work after the family returned to live on the Central Coast after three years in Melbourne.
“Annabelle was a wonderful asset for the practice and she had such a passion for improving the quality of women’s lives,” Peta Skilbeck wrote on Facebook.
“We here at Intuition Private Obstetrics and Gynaecology are devastated and in absolute shock at the loss of such a compassionate, kind, loving and intelligent woman.”
The tragic death comes amid revelations that The Cowrie’s owner, Brett Dengate, had been calling for safety upgrades to Scenic Highway since a motorbike accident out the front of the restaurant in 2014.
“I’ve made submissions before — and I’ve made police statements because I’ve attended a few accidents out the front (of The Cowrie),” Mr Dengate said.
“There’s no signage at the bend coming up Scenic Highway towards the restaurant and they use this strip of road as a racetrack. They fly up the road doing 80 or 90km/h and people are forced to scramble to get across the road.
“I’ve been down to Terrigal police station saying ‘please, get some signs up to warn of pedestrians ahead or telling people to slow down’. This has been over the past two years and nothing has ever eventuated from it.”
A police spokeswoman said “inquiries about roads need to be directed to the relevant local or stage government authorities”.
“However we always welcome feedback from the community in relation to any concerns they may have,” she said. “If anyone has concerns about individuals breaking the law they should contact police.”
Mr Dengate is also calling for a pedestrian crossing and more street lights to be put in place out the front of The Cowrie.
“This area desperately needs a pedestrian crossing, and this is not just because of the restaurant.
“We’ve been very worried for a long time about the welfare of staff and our guests.”
Mr Dengate is also set to contact Central Coast Council to get more parking bays installed for diners at the restaurant.
Central Coast Council’s administrator, Ian Reynolds, sent his “heartfelt condolences” to Mrs Deall’s family and friends.
“We need to clearly understand the circumstances surrounding the accident so we can decide the best way to prevent any future tragedies,” he said. “We are willing to work with law enforcement agencies, all levels of government and the community to make sure the roads on the Central Coast are safe for everyone.”
A nearby resident, Craig Jowett, called for council to remove several gum trees which were blocking a line of sight out of Bellevue Cres into Scenic Highway.
“And not just the removal of these trees, but chicanes and speed bumps could be put in to slow drivers down,” Mr Jowett, 54, said. “I’ve lived in Terrigal and Wamberal all my life and this road situation is as dangerous as I’ve seen it in the area. This has been an accident waiting to happen for years.”
State Liberal Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said he would await the police findings and Coroner’s report into Mrs Deall’s death before calling for safety upgrades on Scenic Highway.
“I am saddened and shocked by what’s happened, but I’ll first need to find out the accident history of this road and I’ll be guided by the Coroner’s recommendations,” Mr Crouch, who is concerned by driver attitude in the cause of crashes, said.
Federal Liberal Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks said the death of Mrs Deall was a “tragedy that should never have happened”.
“I have spoken to a number of local residents who are concerned about the impact and the danger of this particular road and I know that our community on the Central Coast will fight together and build together.
“I can say with absolute certainty that we will be doing everything we can to see a safer traffic solution right here.”
Police were called to the accident scene at 7.45pm on Saturday after reports two women were hit by a car. Witnesses say the driver sped off from the scene, but returned shortly afterwards.
Police arrested the 22-year-old man near Barnhill Rd, in Terrigal.
He was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death, and not keeping left of the dividing line. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Gosford Local Court on August 30.
TOO MANY LOST ON COAST ROADS IN 2016
January 5 — a 17-year-old P-plater from Wyee died when her car left Brush Rd at Ourimbah and hit a tree
January 14 — Mark Dartnell, 46, of Elanora Heights, died after he was hit by a car on the Central Coast Highway at Erina as he got out of his ute following an earlier collision
February 7 — David Humphries, 77, suffered an aneurysm while behind the wheel of his car on Empire Bay Drive at Kincumber and hit a power pole
February 10 — a man, 84, died after his hatchback collided head on with a four-wheel drive on Avoca Drive at Green Point
February 20 — a driver died at the scene after a car left road and hit a tree at Doyalson
March 29 — an 82-year- old man died after his car left the road and crashed into a ditch at Mannering Park
April 24 — a 47-year-old man died after his car crashed into a concrete barrier at East Gosford
May 13 — Welna Penny, 63, and Fateh Hosnie, 16, died after the car they were in veered off the road and hit a power pole at Peats Ridge
July 8 — Agnes Phillips, 100, died after being knocked down by a delivery van in her driveway at Ettalong Beach
July 17 — Jackson Williams, 17, died after the car he was a rear seat passenger in crashed into a power pole on Willoughby Rd at Wamberal
July 18 — a 67-year-old Jilliby man died after his car left the road and crashed into trees at Alison
July 23 — Mick McCulloch, a motorcycle rider, 33, of Medowie, died after a collision with a car on Flowers Drive at Catherine Hill Bay
August 6 — Annabelle Deall, 33, died after being hit by a car crossing the Scenic Highway at Terrigal
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