Lachlan Stuckey: Nowra man charged after fatal Tarago crash

A young man has been charged over a crash that left three passengers dead in rural NSW last weekend, with police alleging his licence had been suspended.

A young man has been charged after a car crash that left three passengers dead in rural NSW last weekend, with police alleging he drove while his licence was suspended.

Police allege Lachlan Stuckey, 21, was driving home to the south coast from Canberra last Sunday with girlfriend Charlie Quinn, 18, and friends Brooke Sorlie and Aaron French, both 20, in the passenger seats.

But what was supposed to be a joyous couples retreat for the Nowra residents turned to tragedy at Tarago, south of Goulburn, where their vehicle left the road and rolled, coming to rest on its roof.

Emergency services were called to the intersection of Bungendore and Collector roads about 1.10pm, arriving to find Ms Sorlie, Ms Quinn and Mr French dead at the scene.

Stuckey survived and managed to escape the wreckage before he was taken to Canberra Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The overturned car at Tarago, where three passengers died in the crash. Picture: OnScene ACT

On Thursday afternoon, following a Southern Region Crash Investigation Unit investigation that established his licence had been suspended, Stuckey attended Nowra Police Station.

He was arrested and charged with three counts of negligent driving occasioning death and one count of driving a motor vehicle while his licence was suspended.

Charlie Quinn and her boyfriend Lachlan Stuckey, who was allegedly behind the wheel at the time of the crash. Picture: Facebook

He has been granted conditional bail to face Goulburn Local Court on October 9.

The deaths of the three young adults have left the town of Nowra in tears, with locals and the families of the victims sharing their heartbreak.

The scene of the crash at Tarago. Picture: OnScene ACT

Ms Sorlie’s older sister Layla told The Daily Telegraph she was “a beautiful, kind, caring soul”.

“She was loved by many and will be dearly, dearly missed,” she said.

A day earlier, Ms Quinn’s shattered father Scott described his daughter as “the light of our lives”.

“We are heartbroken and sending our love to all the families involved in this absolute tragedy,” he said.

Brooke Sorlie, who died along with two of her friends in the crash. Picture: Facebook

Meanwhile, Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley said she and the entire council were thinking of all the families involved.

“Our hearts and compassion are with the families and friends of the three young people who were killed in the crash,” Ms Findley said.

“Many across the Shoalhaven are impacted by the deaths of our young people, and we encourage all people to reach out if the burden of grief is too hard to bear.”

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