M1 crash: Graham Squires to stand trial over crash that killed two
A man will stand trial over a fiery six-car crash on the M1 at West Wollongong that claimed the lives of two people.
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A man charged over a fiery crash that killed two people on the M1 near Wollongong last year is set to stand trial on two counts of dangerous driving in the NSW District Court.
Graham Squires, 65, appeared at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, where he was formally committed to stand trial, after a horrific six-car pile up on June 28 last year that claimed the lives of John Cerezo and Catherine Camilleri.
Police say Squires, from Lansdowne in Sydney’s south west, was driving a silver Ford Territory south on the M1, when it collided with a truck and dog trailer combination underneath the Mount Keira Road overpass about 2.10pm.
In court documents, police allege the deadly chain of events was triggered after Squires allegedly cut the truck off as he changed lanes near the Figtree exit. It is understood the driver of the truck, a 42-year-old Albion Park woman, braked to avoid a collision and a Mitsubishi Pajero Mr Cerezo and Ms Camilleri were travelling in slammed into the back of the truck.
The Pajero was then hit from behind by an Isuzu truck which caused both vehicles to catch on fire.
At the time, NSW Ambulance Chief Inspector Terry Morrow said the force of the impact was “so intense” it ruptured the fuel tank of the car, which is believed to have been the cause of the fire.
The 47-year-old Isuzu driver was able to escape his vehicle without injury, but Ms Camilleri and Mr Cerezo were unable to do so, and were tragically incinerated in their vehicle.
Nine other people were assessed by paramedics at the scene of the crash, none of whom required hospitalisation.
The M1 was closed for several hours after the crash which forced the city into gridlock while the Crash Investigations Unit tried to piece together the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
Squires was committed for trial by Magistrate Michael Stoddart on Wednesday, and his matter was adjourned to April 7 for arraignment in the district court.