Maria Landazabal Contreras, Moorebank crash: Tributes for Colombian student
The host family of a young Colombian student killed when a car struck her motorcycle from behind at Moorebank are searching for answers, as a disqualified driver is charged over her death.
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A young Colombian student who was killed when a car struck her motorcycle from behind in Sydney’s southwest has been remembered as a “happy” woman who was “full of life”.
Emergency services were called to the intersection of Heathcote Rd and the M5 motorway in Moorebank about 11.35pm on Saturday following reports of a crash involving a Honda HRV wagon and a motorcycle.
Maria Alejandra Landazabal Contreras, 27, was stopped at the lights when her motorcycle was hit from behind by the Honda.
She was treated at the scene for serious head and internal injuries, and was taken to Liverpool Hospital but died on Sunday morning.
Police allege Doonside man Wilbert Gabrielle Guevara, 32, was behind the wheel of the other vehicle and have charged him with dangerous driving occasioning death – drive in a manner dangerous, negligent driving occasioning death, not stop at red light and drive whilst disqualified.
On Monday, Mr Guevara was not required to appear in Liverpool Local Court, which heard he was in hospital for treatment for his injuries.
The matter was adjourned to September 28.
Ms Landazabal Contreras had moved to Australia from Colombia to study English and moved in with a hostess family in Engadine earlier this year.
Rosa Rutte, who took the young woman in, described Ms Landazabal Contreras as “playful”, “happy” and “full of life”.
Ms Rutte said the international student was looking for casual work and she needed somebody to help with school pick-ups for her twin daughters.
“She made an instant connection with my daughters and reminded me of myself when I came to Australia as a student,” Ms Rutte said.
“She had a kid’s soul, she will play with my daughter hide and seek, she do their nails and their hairs (sic), she prepared delicious desserts.
“That was her way of showing how grateful she was, she will bake a cake for us which became my daughter’s favourite dessert.”
Ms Rutte said Ms Landazabal Contreras’s death was “still very surreal for all of us”.
“She had so many dreams to fulfil. She loved travelling, she was planning to travel through Asia while she was studying in Australia,” she said.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.