Young man dies, four others taken to hospital in Blue Mountain Heights crash
A young man who died in single-vehicle crash has been remembered as a devoted mate, who loved cars and making music.
A young man killed in a horror single-vehicle crash north of Toowoomba has been remembered as a loving friend.
Kody Hall, 19, was driving his cherished Daihatsu Charade with four friends when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree on Ballard Siding Rd, Blue Mountain Heights, just before 8pm Saturday.
“He was just 19 years old, a very good kid, very loving, never failed to make anyone smile or have a laugh,” friend Dylan Robertson said.
“He was always there when someone needed him, never turned his back on anybody.
“This still does not feel real, it all happened too fast.”
Kody was also a keen musician.
“He was interested in music and making songs which made him really happy, he loved his cars, loved the sound and feel of them,” Mr Robertson said.
“I was the closest person to him so I made him happy by just being there and we called each other brothers.”
Mr Robertson started a GoFundMe campaign to support Kody’s family cover the funeral expenses.
“I would really love and appreciate it if we could raise money for him and his family to help through this griefing rough time,” he said.
Emergency service crews raced to the scene and assessed all five passengers.
The Queensland Ambulance Service reported Kody suffered significant injuries and died at the scene.
Two other men were rushed to Toowoomba Hospital in life-threatening conditions, one in his 20s with facial and leg injuries and one in his teens with shoulder, leg and head injuries.
Two other patients sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital in a stable condition.
One witness said they suspected the driver may have been speeding.
“It was horrible, they were going really fast,” he said.
“It pretty sad, but on these roads, you don’t go that fast.”
The Forensic Crash Unit has launched an investigation into the crash, and anyone with further information that could assist is urged to contact police.
Police responded to several serious crashes in the Darling Downs overnight, including a two-vehicle crash with a rollover at Linthorpe about 4.20am on Sunday.
Two men, one aged in his 30s and other aged in his 60s, suffered head injuries while a teenage boy suffered minor injuries.
QAS paramedics transported all three to Toowoomba Hospital in stable conditions.
The incident comes on the weekend that police launched their Christmas road safety operation, bringing officers out in force to target the Fatal Five; speeding, drink and drug driving, distraction, fatigue and seatbelts.
“This year we’ve had 289 deaths on Queensland Roads and 45 in the Southern region alone,” Toowoomba Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Jo Goodwin said.
“While the majority of the community do travel safely on the roads, there’s always one or two who tend to put others at risk and the risks just aren’t worth it.
“We want everyone to have a memorable Christmas for the good reasons, not because of a tragedy.”
Alcohol and drugs will be the top of the officers minds and anyone stopped by police can expect to be breath tested.
“In the Christmas season people are obviously going out to Christmas parties, they’re drinking, the next morning they’re getting up thinking they’re going to be okay,” Sergeant Goodwin said.
“You need to be looking at the night before, before you drive the next morning.
“There should be one drink every hour and count your drinks.
“If you think you might be over, it’s not worth the risk, don’t drive.”
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Originally published as Young man dies, four others taken to hospital in Blue Mountain Heights crash
