Teen crashes car into California Gully home

Structural engineers are making sure a just-bought Bendigo home doesn’t collapse after a learner driver smashed into it at a notorious intersection.

Emergency services respond to a two-car crash at Nelson St, California Gully on Monday September 6. Picture: Zizi Averill

Structural engineers are making sure a Bendigo family home doesn’t collapse after a learner driver smashed into it at a notorious intersection on Monday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Nelson St and Sandhurst Rd, California Gully, at 1.15pm.

Bendigo highway patrol leading senior constable Brendan Keegan said an 18-year-old L-plate driver failed to stop at the intersection and crashed into a ute, towing a trailer.

Snr Constable Keegan said the trailer was overturned causing the ute to lose control, while the young learner driver veered off and smashed into the home.

Emergency services respond to a two-car crash at Nelson St, California Gully on Monday September 6. Picture: Zizi Averill

Snr Constable Keegan said structural engineers and the State Emergency Service were called to assess the damage and stabilise the Nelson St home.

“To make sure the house doesn’t collapse on anyone,” he said.

“Things have got to be looked at first before we get the vehicle away from the house.”

Bendigo Highway Patrol Senior Constable Brendan Keegan at the scene after an L-plater crashed into a home on the Nelson St, California Gully on Monday September 6. Picture: Zizi Averill

Snr Constable Keegan said an 18-year-old woman and her 26-year-old accompanying driver were taken to Bendigo hospital with minor injuries.

“The driver of the ute (a man in his 20s) is more in shock than anything else,” he said.

An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman confirmed three people were assessed for minor injuries.

The crash left deep cracks through the red brickwork home and Snr Constable Keegan said the crash narrowly missed the gas meter.

The owner Trevor Stockwell was called to assess the damage to his property, which he bought only three months ago.

California Gully home owners Kerrie Stockwell and Trevor Stockwell assess the damage to their home after a L-plater crashed into it at 1.15pm, Monday September 6. Picture: Zizi Averill

Mr Stockwell said he was renting the home to his sister, who was not at home when the car crashed into the wall.

“She’s an emotional thing so she’ll be in tears,” Mr Stockwell said.

Mr Stockwell said he knew of the intersection’s reputation, saying crashes occurred “every so often”.

He said upgrades to the intersection had helped, but “short of putting in traffic lights, what can you do?”.

“I need to build a bigger fence, I guess,” he joked.

California Gully home owners Kerrie Stockwell and Trevor Stockwell assess the damage to their home after a L-plater crashed into it at 1.15pm, Monday September 6. Picture: Zizi Averill

Snr Constable Keegan said the intersection had been a crash “black spot” for two decades.

“There have always been accidents and they’re not just little accidents, there’s been some fairly big ones here as well.”

He called on drivers to pay attention to their surroundings.

Bendigo Highway Patrol Senior Constable Brendan Keegan at the scene after a L-plater crash into a home on the Nelson St, California Gully on Monday September 6. Picture: Zizi Averill

“People are being a bit lax on road rules and think if there’s no traffic they can just scoot through,” Snr Constable Keegan said.

“The Covid rules change day to day, but one thing that doesn’t change are the road rules – you still need to obey those.”