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Hunter crashes: Four dead from two separate crashes at Muswellbrook and Upper Allyn

One of the four people killed in a horror day on roads in the Hunter has been remembered as “an amazing, kind, caring girl”.

Three people have died and another person is fighting for life in hospital after a horror crash in the Upper Hunter Region last night.
Three people have died and another person is fighting for life in hospital after a horror crash in the Upper Hunter Region last night.

Four people are dead and one has been left fighting for his life following two separate horrific crashes on Sunday.

The tight-knit Muswellbrook community have been left shattered by the sudden deaths of locals.

Rideshare operator, Rob Baker was driving husband and wife Brad and Tracey Strachan — who were known to be regular users of the service — home, when their vehicle slammed head-on with a ute on Bengalla Rd. at Muswellbrook on Sunday night.

Rob Baker was driving a rideshare vehicle when he was killed in a collision with a ute. Picture: Facebook.
Rob Baker was driving a rideshare vehicle when he was killed in a collision with a ute. Picture: Facebook.
Brad and Tracey Strachan. Tracey was killed when the rideshare the couple were in collided with a ute near Muswellbrook. Brad suffered critical injuries. Picture: Facebook
Brad and Tracey Strachan. Tracey was killed when the rideshare the couple were in collided with a ute near Muswellbrook. Brad suffered critical injuries. Picture: Facebook

Mr Baker and Ms Strachan died at the scene, while Mr Strachan was flown to John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries. He was still fighting for life on Monday night.

The driver and sole occupant of the utility — a man believed to be in his 30s — also died at the scene.

Police believe that one of the cars involved had crossed onto the wrong side of the road.

The pair were stalwarts of the local rugby league club, the Muswellbrook Rams.

A source told The Newcastle News Mr and Ms Strachan would always help out with anything and were heavily involved with the club and will be sadly missed.

The wreckage in the Muswellbrook fatal. Picture: Carey Harris
The wreckage in the Muswellbrook fatal. Picture: Carey Harris
Three people died and one is critically injured. Picture: Carey Harris
Three people died and one is critically injured. Picture: Carey Harris

Jack Kirk was working the bar at Muswellbrook Hotel on Sunday night, serving Brad and Tracey who he had known for years, before they got in the ill-fated rideshare.

He said he was devastated by the news of their death.

“They are wonderful people … Brad, himself; he’s a joker, a real larrikin. He picks on people but in a nice way, he’s never had a bad word to say about anybody,” Mr Kirk said.

“Tracey, she was a beautiful woman … the perfect definition of a lady. She was an English teacher, good grammar, good English.

“It was always good to be around the Strachans.”

Chief Inspector Guy Guiana said all three people killed were locals of the Muswellbrook area.

“When there’s this many people involved it sends ripples right through the community,” Ch-Insp Guiana.

Police were on Monday still trying to contact the ute driver’s family members overseas to inform them of the tragedy.

In another horror crash, 18-year-old Tiarni Jean Simpson — known as TJ — was killed when her car rolled down an embankment and crashed into the Allyn River, at Upper Allyn, about 50km away from Muswellbrook on Sunday morning.

Three passersby have been labelled heros after they jumped into the water to try and save Ms Simpson who was trapped in the vehicle.

Tiarni Simpson, 18, who died when the car she was in ploughed into the Allyn River. Picture: supplied.
Tiarni Simpson, 18, who died when the car she was in ploughed into the Allyn River. Picture: supplied.

The driver — also an 18-year-old woman — was able to free herself from the vehicle and was seen screaming from the top of the vehicle for help.

Sam Hinder and his older brother Benn Hinder rushed down the embankment with Todd Knox before they found a knife and Mr Knox cut Ms Simpson free from her seatbelt.

“It hard to get her through the window so we had to get the door open and get her out,” Sam Hinder said.

“Then we lifted her on top of the car and commenced CPR.

“Felt like forever, it was up to about an hour, it was a very long time before the helicopter came.

“A shock to the system, scary situation.”

Two of the three rescuers Sam (left) and Benn Hinder - brothers who attended the fatal crash into the Allyn Rive, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied
Two of the three rescuers Sam (left) and Benn Hinder - brothers who attended the fatal crash into the Allyn Rive, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied
Todd Knox - one of three rescuers who attended the fatal crash into the Allyn River, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied
Todd Knox - one of three rescuers who attended the fatal crash into the Allyn River, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied

Despite efforts by the three men and paramedics, Ms Simpson couldn’t be revived and died at the scene, while the driver was winched from the river and airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.

Ms Simpson has been remembered as a gorgeous girl, who was outgoing and full of life.

Her friend Erika Orchard said the teen was “an amazing kind caring girl” who had attended school in Inverell.
“She has plenty of friends and family who will greatly miss her she was definitely the life of any party,”she wrote online.

The car which crashed into the Allyn River, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied
The car which crashed into the Allyn River, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied
A Westpac helicopter arrives at the fatal crash into the Allyn River, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied
A Westpac helicopter arrives at the fatal crash into the Allyn River, Upper Allyn. Picture: supplied

A family member immediately started a Go Fund Me page to help ease the financial burden for Ms Simpson’s family.

“Her smile would just make you want to smile, her laugh contagious , she loved her family and friends,” it said.

“Tj had the best sense of humour and sassy attitude.”

Crime scenes were established at both fatal crashes and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding each.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/the-newcastle-news/hunter-crashes-four-dead-from-two-separate-crashes-at-muswellbrook-and-upper-allyn/news-story/a6591db93f121cd7f5ea136c38b522d1