Friends mourn as teen girl dies, passenger hurt when stolen car hits tree in Cooper St, Epping
Friends have paid tribute to a 15-year-old girl who died after smashing the stolen car she was driving into a tree in Epping early today.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A teenage girl died after she was flung from a stolen car when it crashed at high speed in Epping early on Friday morning.
Police believe Haylee Glouftsis, 15, from Wollert, was behind the wheel of the Holden Astra when it lost control and flipped on Cooper St about 1am.
Her injured friend, 16, from Keilor, desperately tried to save the girl but she died at the scene.
MORE HERALD SUN: LAWYER X FINALLY UNMASKED
$40M WIN IN ‘RIDICULOUS’ POWERBALL
GEORGE PELL’S POLICE INTERVIEW TAPES RELEASED
Detective Sergeant Jarrod Dwyer said the car had been stolen in Somerton a short time before the crash. The vehicle — now destroyed — was owned by someone known to the girls, he said.
It was seen speeding eastbound along Cooper St moments before impact, leaving skid marks stretching about 100m in the lead-up to the crash site.
Sgt Dwyer said both girls were unlicensed and neither had a learner’s permit.
“There is no reason two teenage girls without a licence should be in a vehicle, especially travelling at speed beyond their capabilities,” he said.
Det Sgt Dwyer said the car is “well and truly smashed up and its roof caved in” due to the high-speed collision.
It was unclear whether either girl was wearing a seat belt.
Loved ones have paid tribute to Haylee.
Friend Charlee Rusuby told the Herald Sun she was a “beautiful” girl who had had her whole life ahead of her.
“This has had a massive impact on a lot of people,” she said.
“Heaven has gained a beautiful angel too soon.”
Another friend, Taylar Winchester, wrote on social media: “Rest in paradise my beautiful girl. I will always love you … your (sic) always my sister forever and always.”
The surviving teen was being treated in hospital for minor injuries.
She was out of the car attempting to rescue her friend when emergency services arrived.
“She spoke with the first police on scene and suggested the deceased teen was the driver,” Sgt Dwyer said.
“She (the passenger) was very distraught. The circumstances of this were horrific.”
The Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives spent the morning combing the scene for clues.
A red baseball cap, a white sneaker and a car battery were among the debris strewn across the median strip.
A green P-plate could be seen among the broken bumper and pieces of shattered glass.
The car was towed at 10.20am.
West-bound lanes of Cooper St in Epping have reopened following the single car crash that’s claimed the life of a teenaged girl overnight. @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/52q2arDANu
— Pat Mitchell (@patty_mitchell) February 28, 2019
EPPING FATAL: a 15yo girl has died after a stolen car she was believed to be driving flipped on Cooper Street. She was thrown from the vehicle on impact. A 16yo girl has also been injured. Neither had a license #7newsmelb pic.twitter.com/GaDXHKnZUv
— Teegan Dolling (@tdolling) February 28, 2019
Eastbound lanes on Cooper St have reopened
Fifty-seven people have died on Victoria’s roads already this year, up from 35 at this time in 2018.
Police are appealing for anyone with dashcam footage between Broadmeadows and Epping between midnight and 1am to come forward.
Witnesses are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.