Truck destroys classroom in 19-car collision at notorious Sydney spot, driver charged with drug possession

Lucky it was not a school day as a truck crashed through a classroom at a notorious intersection in a collision that involved 19 cars at Moorebank. Meth and an ice pipe were allegedly found in the cabin.

A truck driver has been charged with possession of the drug ice after his truck ploughed through 19 cars and into a school classroom in Sydney’s southwest.

St Joseph’s Catholic Church and School in Moorebank is full of students and parishioners seven days a week – but it was blessedly empty when a tip truck and trailer careened off Newbridge Rd, through the fence then the car park and into a classroom just after 1pm on Saturday.

The parish priest said only a short time earlier the church had been hosting a baptism with a large family in attendance.

The truck and trailer – which was loaded with soil – struck 19 vehicles before continuing across the footpath and into the carpark of a church and a primary school.

Liverpool City Police Area Command’s Acting Inspector Shaun Colls said it was extraordinary no-one was seriously injured in the crash involving more than a dozen people.

The truck stuck inside the school at Moorebank. Picture: Thomas Lisson.

“Considering the amount of vehicles that were involved, the level of damage to all vehicles, I was expecting a lot worse than minor injuries, it’s quite amazing,” Inspector Colls said.

“That’s including the driver himself – it’s a lucky day that no one was seriously injured.”

The driver of the truck was trapped in the cabin. Picture: Thomas Lisson

The 21-year-old driver was trapped within his cabin for almost 40 minutes before he was released by Fire and Rescue NSW officers.

He was taken to Liverpool Hospital, where he remains after getting treated for minor facial and hand injuries, and two other people were also taken to hospital following the incident.

NSW Police have since charged the man with a Field Court Attendance Notice (FCAN) for the alleged possession of illegal drugs.

Police will allege officers found methamphetamine and an ice pipe within the truck cabin after the crash.

The truck was trapped in the school on Nuwarra Rd. Picture: Thomas Lisson

The man’s licence was also immediately suspended.

He will also undergo mandatory testing, with police confirming that further charges could be laid once those results are received.

A 33-year-old man was released from hospital on Sunday after being treated for soft-tissue injuries, while his wife remains in hospital under observation as a precaution.

The crash happened about midday on Saturday. Picture Thomas Lisson

St Joseph’s priest Father Chris De Sousa said it was miraculous all involved had escaped significant injury.

“Thanks be to God, a real miracle, the car park was full of cars earlier,” Fr De Sousa said.

“It happened at a time where a few people were just coming into the church to pray, and thank goodness it wasn’t during a school week with the students here or during mass – we constantly have people coming in here to pray.”

One of the cars involved in the incident at Moorebank. Picture: Eliza Barr

The truck ploughed through the fence. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Fr De Sousa said the state of the building outside the classroom would need a full structural assessment.

The school has roughly 400 primary school students.

Shocking images show the truck well inside the classroom, surrounded by desks and student art, with a wooden beam which narrowly missed the driver’s head.

The driver was trapped for a short time and police said it was not yet clear what had unfolded before the shocking crash unfolded.

Inspector Colls appealed to drivers who were present at the time to check their dash cam footage from the incident and reach out to local police.

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